Published: May 10, 2008 10:49 pm            

Rusk charter amendments pass; no changes to RISD board or New Summerfield council

Rusk charter amendments pass; no changes to RISD board or New Summerfield council

By Cristin Ross

cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Rusk voters have spoken and they said all five proposed amendments to the city’s charter were worthy of approval.

A complete but unofficial total of 98 votes were cast in Saturday’s municipal election, city officials reported after polls closed.

“We want to thank the voters for taking an interest in their city,” City Manager Mike Murray said Saturday. “I think the numbers the majority of the amendments were approved by indicate the people are comfortable with their government overall.”

Proposition 1 passed 92 to six. The amendment authorizes the council to appoint and remove one or more alternate municipal court judges.

Proposition 2 passed 82 to 16. The amendment provides the terms for city attorney, city clerk and municipal court judge set at one year. Proposition 3, which concerned the mayor’s vote, was approved 49 to 48.

Rusk’s mayor is now limited to voting on matters that come before the council only to break a tie in the votes of the other members of the city council.

“I whole-heartedly supported putting this amendment on the ballot,” Mayor Angela Raiborn said Saturday. “I think the council agreed, this was something we wanted to put in the hands of the voters. They’ve decided and I fully support their decision.”

Proposition 4 passed 88 to seven. The amendment provides that a majority of the council will constitute a quorum and that a majority of affirmative votes will be required to pass any item the council votes on.

Proposition 5 passed 67 to 30. The amendment deleted the existing provision that required the council’s approval on city expenditures of more than $2,000.

A total of nine changes were researched and prepared by a committee of concerned citizens, and were the brought to the council in October 2007.

“The committee worked very hard and very long on these and got a lot of input from the public as well as public official,” committee chair Forrest Phifer said Saturday. “I’m glad the folks got their say and hope these changes lead Rusk to a brighter future.”

Incumbent council members Sam Florian, Don Jones and Donald Woodard each retained his seat on the Rusk City Council as well. All three candidates were running for their districts unopposed. Florian got 21 votes; Woodard received 23 votes; and Jones got 33 votes.

Rusk Independent School District Board of Trustees remains unchanged after Saturday’s school board election.

In a complete but unofficial count reported Saturday after polls had closed, a total 270 RISD voters cast ballots allowing both incumbents to keep their seats on the district’s at-large school board.

Anthony Holcomb received 152 votes, and Frances Long got 142.

Challengers Oliver Sturns and Terry L. Downs received 40 votes and 36 votes, respectively.

“Turnout was low this year, but that’s usual when there’s not a big national or city race going on,” Superintendent Jim Largent said. “But we do thank all the voters who did come out and vote for doing so.

“We feel like we have a strong board. We appreciate both challengers for wanting to get involved with the district.”

Rusk trustees will canvass the election and make its results official during this month’s regular school board meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The board usually meets on the first Monday of each month, but this month’s meeting was moved to take action on the election.

The meeting will be held at the RISD Administration office, located at 203 E. Seventh St., Rusk.



NS Incumbents re-elected

The city of New Summerfield won’t see any changes on its council.

Incumbents Karie Bolton and Sheri Solomon both kept their seats on the at-large council.

In a complete, but unofficial count conducted Saturday after polls has closed, 39 New Summerfield residents voted in the municipal election.

Solomon received 19 votes. Bolton received 16. Challenger Donald Williams got four votes.

“Everything went pretty smoothly, even though we didn’t see a big turn-out,” City Secretary Teresa McCutcheon said Saturday evening.

McCutcheon said she didn’t know the reason voters shunned this year’s city election.

“We always want people to vote and take an interest in their community,” she said.

The New Summerfield City Council will canvass Saturday’s election and vote to make its results official during the regular city council meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at New Summerfield City Hall.

New Summerfield Independent School District was able to call their election since incumbents Michael Davis and Clay Wilkerson both filed to keep their seats with had no opposition.

        

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