Cotati voters stuck with the status quo for City Council Tuesday, with incumbents Pat Gilardi and Mark Landman winning over challenger and former councilman George Barich.
With three out of three precincts reporting, Landman was the lead vote-getting with 40.3 percent of the votes, Gilardi 40 percent, and Barich trailing with 19.2 percent.
The top two vote-getters win seats on Cotati's five-person council.
Landman was appointed to the City Council in 2009. Gilardi has been on the council since 2000.
Barich, a former councilman, was recalled in 2009 after a series of controversies and served only a year in office.
The two incumbents campaigned together touting accomplishments including this year's balanced budget - the city's first one in six years - and recent contracts with police officers and management that lowered the costs of pension and medical benefits.
The candidates also touted the half-cent sales tax measure which Barich opposed before he was recalled from the council.
Barich built his campaigns on claims the city needs fiscal restraint.
He warned that Sonoma County's smallest municipality is balancing its books using overly rosy sales tax projections and was financial facing disaster.
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