Tony Wayne Ladner, the new District 5 supervisor, said his main objective in office will be to “serve the people to the best of my ability, return all my calls and keep our citizens informed about what is going in government.”

Ladner will be sworn into office on Monday at 9 a.m. at the supervisors’ board room.

He beat Philip Moran by only six votes, 660 to 654, in Tuesday’s runoff.

On Nov. 3 the seven-candidate field for the seat was pared down to the top two vote-getters, Ladner and Moran.

District 5 covers most of east-central Hancock County and takes in the Standard, Kiln, Fenton, Diamonhead and Edwardsville communities. Ladner lives in the Standard Community.

He currently works for Glenn Crane and Rigging and formerly owned a small trucking company.

The election was called to fill the unexpired term of the late Jay Cuevas, who died in office. Cuevas’ wife had been named by supervisors as an interim appointment to the seat until an election could be held.

She chose not to run for the board.

The election was so close that it was in doubt until affidavit ballots were counted, according to Hancock County Circuit Court Clerk Karen Ruhr. Ladner led by five before affidavit ballots were counted and he led by six after they were counted.