FERGUSON, Mo. — The Ferguson Mayoral race was decided by just 21 votes on Tuesday.
Ella Jones, the first Black and female mayor of Ferguson received 1,087 votes edging out challenger Nick Kasoff.
"It was a little tighter than I thought it was going to be," Ward 2 Councilman Blake Ashby said. "I think there's a good group of people that think Ella has done a nice job. We shouldn't change course in midstream, so to speak."
Ashby said one of Mayor Jones' best accomplishments was the recent hiring of Police Chief Troy Doyle.
"Frankly a rock star as a police chief," Ashby said. "Great background, great relationships. Mayor Jones was a part of recruiting him."
Ashby said the future of Ferguson is going to rest on its ability to increase home ownership and foster growing businesses.
"Can we make a safe live-able neighborhood? If we have a safe livable neighborhoods, we will have local retail businesses that will support them," Ashby said.
But before that can happen, he said traffic control must improve.
"We need to make sure people can't race down the street at 65 miles per hour," the councilman said.
5 On Your Side reached out to Mayor Jones for comment on this story but have not heard back.
To see all the election results from around the St. Louis area, click here.