The Alexander City Council tabled two major items at its
September 16 meeting. One was the appointing of someone to fill the vacant
alderman's position in Ward-3, Position-1. The other was an ordinance requiring
attendance at city council meetings.
The aldermen decided to wait another month to fill the
vacancy so more resumes can be submitted. They also ordered the city attorney
to make a change to the ordinance requiring attendance at city council
meetings.
Ward-3 resident Andrea Bearden was the only person to submit
a resume requesting to be considered for the open seat, which became available
when Alderman Dan Church resigned July 18. Church was elected in 2012 defeating
incumbent Harvey Howard.
Alderman Faye McKeon suggested former alderman Harvey Howard
be considered even though he did not submit a resume. Earlier this year both
Bearden and Howard submitted resumes when the council needed to fill the
vacancy in Ward-3's Position-2 spot. It became available when Alderman Jack
Shoemaker moved out of Alexander. That vacancy was filled with the appointment
of Samuel Gregory.
Resumes must be received at City Hall before the next
regular council meeting scheduled for October 21, 2013.
A
change to the ordinance requiring attendance at "regular" and
"special" council meetings by elected officials forced the vote on it
to be tabled until the October meeting. Alderman McKeon suggested that an
absence would be excused providing the person notifies someone at city hall before
closing time on the day of the meeting. No action by the council would be
required unless an alderman misses a meeting and hadn't called.
Under
the original proposal anyone unable to attend had to call city hall the day of
the meeting and provide the reason they cannot attend. The aldermen present at
the meeting would then vote as to whether the reason is an "excused
absence." Under McKeon's proposal the vote would only be necessary if the
official didn't notify someone of their expected absence.
The
ordinance also includes a fine of $50 after three unexcused absences
"during any calendar year." The fine jumps to $100 for each unexcused
absence during the same calendar year.
The
question of forcing aldermen to attend meetings came about after four aldermen
stopped attending council meetings after January. The move came about, in-part,
when during the regular January council meeting newly appointed Mayor Michelle
Hobbs announced she would "veto" any action passed that was proposed
by aldermen Juanita Wilson, Dan Church, Jack Shoemaker and Lonny Chapman.
The
four stopped attending meetings to keep the council from having a quorum in
order to slow down the mayor. Despite that, the council held some meetings
without a quorum.
In
other actions:
Council
members did give the Assistant Fire Chief Tim Blankenship permission to
purchase a used 2000 Pierce fire truck for $350 and make any necessary repairs
up to $5,000. This truck will replace a 1988 vehicle that is beyond repair.
Police
Chief Horace Walters told council members he is now getting prices to purchase
four new police cars instead of the original seven discussed earlier this year.
There is still some question as to how the city will be able to fund the
purchase.