Published: June 02, 2008 10:23 am         

Wanted: Ward 2 resident to fill open council seat

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

History is repeating itself once more as the Mineral Wells City Council seeks to fill a vacant seat after its former occupant became the city’s newest mayor.

“The last time we had to do this was when Clarence Holliman was elected as mayor [in 2002] and it was necessary to fill his seat for Ward 4,” recalled Mineral Wells City Manager Lance Howerton.

With Mike Allen’s transition on May 20 from Ward 2 councilman to mayor, his previous seat was vacated. The city is accepting applications from interested Ward 2 residents who want to be considered for the position.

Ward 2 encompasses the northeast portion of Mineral Wells, excluding the downtown district, and extends to the Lake Mineral Wells State Park. The ward also sprawls into a southeast portion of Mineral Wells.

City Clerk Juanita Formby told the Index there are a number of eligibility requirements to meet in order to be considered. Among them are to currently reside in Ward 2 for the past six months or more, be at least 18 years of age, be a resident of Mineral Wells for at least one year and not be in arrears with the city for taxes or other liabilities owed to the city, among other things.

Howerton told the Index, “If they’re interested, they can pick up an application at the City Hall Annex and return it to the clerk.”

The application asks interested candidates information such as their education, professional or community activities, qualifications and references, among other things.

Once applications are turned in, they are given to a committee of council members selected at the May 20 meeting. Council members Margaret Colton, Chris Crawford and John Ritchie comprise the recommendation committee. The committee will then present their recommendation to the council and the city council will appoint someone, Howerton explained.

“We haven’t received any applications at this point,” he said on Thursday.

There is currently no application deadline.

Historically, there has been approximately a two-month time period from a vacancy following an election and the appointment of a new council member.

Former Mineral Wells mayor Holliman was named mayor on May 4, 2002, leaving his Ward 4 seat open. DeArtis Nickerson was appointed to Holliman’s Ward 4 seat on July 2, 2002.

Councilwoman Margaret Colton was appointed to her At-Large Place 2 seat in July 2000, approximately two months after Don Turner won his mayoral campaign against then-mayor pro-tem Connie Ball.

For further information about qualifications, contact Formby at (940) 328-7700 or stop by the City Hall Annex located at 115 S.W. 1st Street.

COUNCIL MEETING

The Mineral Wells City Council is scheduled to meet in regular session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the City Hall Annex, 115 S.W. 1st St., to consider the following items:

INDIVIDUAL ITEMS

• Conduct a public hearing and consider a replat filing for Lots 28, 29, 30, and 31, Block 1, Holiday Hills Estates Addition to the City of Mineral Wells (Mac Shafer – applicant).

• Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Mineral Wells by adding definitions and amending the permitted land use table to include petroleum and industrial chemical bulk storage/ processing facility (Buckley Oil Company – applicant).

• Conduct a public hearing and consider a replat filing for part of Tract C, Mineral Wells Industrial Park, City of Mineral Wells (Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation – applicant).

• Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance closing a portion of S.E. 13-1/2 Avenue between S.E. 8th Street and S.E. 8-1/2 Street and certain alleys located in the East End Addition to the City of Mineral Wells, Texas (Leslie F. McInroe – applicant).

• Consider approval of specifications and authorize staff to receive bids for demolition of condemned structures.

Adjourn.