Pilot Point voters elected a new mayor and council member Saturday as they closely watched an election that tied into the issue of renovating the downtown square, considered central to the city’s revitalization.

Mayor Pro Tem Janet Groff will replace current Mayor Jerry Alford when the City Council approves the unofficial results on May 19.

“I am very excited,” said Groff, 54, a detention officer with the Denton County Sheriff’s Office who is serving her third term in office.

“Some of the things we have to work on are the infrastructure, on the water and sewer lines,” Groff said about some of her priorities as mayor-elect.

A disappointed challenger Ken Brixsey said Groff had campaigned well and she deserved to win.

“Janet is better known than me; her brother was in office for several years,” he said. “She is a good politician and I am not political at all.”

Groff said she also wants to update the library, the senior center and the parks — tasks she hopes to accomplish with a bond election.

“We bought land to make a soccer field; we need to get that going,” she said.

Groff, who has lived in Pilot Point since 1964, said she felt confident about the results.

According to Pilot Point City Secretary Lisa Lewis, 240 ballots were cast in early voting and 405 votes were tallied Saturday.

“For a small town, it was pretty good,” Lewis said.

Business owner Pete Hollar was unofficially declared the winner for the Place 4 City Council seat, on which he would replace Jay Melugin.

“I am just delighted that I am leading,” Hollar said Saturday night.

Hollar ran unsuccessfully in 1971 for Pilot Point City Council and later served six years on the Pilot Point school board, two of those years as president. He said he looks forward to working for the community where he has lived his entire life.

“I want it to be the Pilot Point that I remember when I was growing up,” he said. “My biggest concern is that I hope that I can do a good job. I know I can.”

Michael “Champ” Walker, who ran unopposed, will continue to hold his City Council position in Place 1.

KARINA RAMÍREZ can be reached at 940-566-6878. Her e-mail address is kramirez@dentonrc.com  .