Five from Alexander take oath New Year's Day

[Updates at end of article.]

There's a New Year's Day tradition in Arkansas. Every two years anyone who was elected the previous November shows up at their local county courthouse to take the oath of office.

Judge Gary Arnold (Left) administers
oath of office to Paul Mitchell.

And, that's what was happening at the Saline County Courthouse Thursday. Five of the nine newly elected City of Alexander residents took the oath of office. Paul Mitchell was sworn-in as mayor followed by Stephanie Beck, Andy Mullins, Andrea Bearden, and Lonny Chapman who took the oath for alderman. The oaths were administered by Judge Gary Arnold.

Absent were Louis E. Hobbs, Jeffery S. Watson, Dan Church, and Melissa Ratliff. Under Arkansas law they have ten days to be sworn-in.

Mayor Mitchell says Church is the only one who has made arrangements with him to take the oath at a later time.

UPDATE:

1/2/15-Louis E. Hobbs took the oath of office January 2.

1/3/15-According to a Facebook post Jeffery S. Watson was sworn-in by Saline County Clerk Doug Curtis January 1, shortly after 10:30 am.