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Monday, September 06, 2010
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| 7/29/2010 9:37:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Council spot sign-up continues
The Normangee City Council will continue to accept applications through Friday, Aug. 13, for those wishing to be considered for possible appointment to a vacant city council seat.
The vacancy was created following the recent resignation of former city council member Royce Glen Shaw, who has moved outside Normangee's city limits.
City council members chose to accept applications for possible appointment of a new city council member during its regular Thursday, July 15, meeting. City council member David Hall was not present for the session.
Applications for the one year remaining on Shaw's unexpired term will be accepted at Normangee City Hall, said Normangee Mayor Jay Traylor. Shaw submitted his letter of resignation from the panel on Wednesday, May 19; it was formally accepted by the city council at its regular Thursday, June 17, meeting, as it wasn't received in time to be considered at the city's regular Thursday, May 20, session.
Once the Friday, Aug. 13, application deadline passes, the city council will consider appointing someone to fill the vacancy at its regular Thursday, Aug. 19, meeting. The panel could also opt not to appoint a replacement for Shaw, leaving the council seat open until the next regular city election in May 2011.
City council member Michael Marcantel requested the city council take applications for a possible appointment. He did so after asking if the city was under any requirement to appoint the next person in line from balloting in the most recent city council election.
Traylor said the city was under no obligation to appoint the next person from the most recent city council election. In the Saturday, May 8, city election, Hall, a write-in candidate, and Marcantel were the top two vote-getters of three candidates vying for two available seats. Hall received 79 votes, while Marcantel received 53.
In third place was Darrell Sharp, who finished third with 43 votes.
At the beginning of the discussion, Traylor said the city council has three options - conduct a special election, appoint a replacement, or leave the seat open until next May.
City council member Billy Cole asked Thursday, July 15, how much a special election might cost. Traylor noted the regular city election in May cost the city $2,000 - and that's after sharing expenses with Normangee ISD, which simultaneously conducted its regular trustee election on the same date.
"So, it'd likely cost more than that," Traylor said.
The Normangee mayor said the earliest a special election could likely be conducted, if called, would be in December. That would mean the winner wouldn't be seated on the city council until after the first of the year, and would only serve four or five months before having to run for re-election.
"Seems like a lot of expense. We need to consider an appointment," Marcantel said.
All agreed to set the application deadline for consideration on Friday, Aug. 13.
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