Waycross hopes to speed the task of filling the vacant seat of a City Commissioner or Mayor through a change in the City Charter.
Commissioners approved a resolution last week that will allow for a special election or commission appointment to fill the vacancy depending on when it occurred during the term of the seat. The request for the amendment now moves to the Georgia Legislature for consideration.
City Manager Ulysses “Duke” Rayford sought the change after the city went nearly eight months without a representative for District 1 following the April 20 death of longtime Commissioner Norman Davis. Shawn Roberts was finally seated December 6 after winning a runoff for the post three days earlier.
The resolution was among six the commission approved during its first bi-monthly meeting of the year Tuesday, January 7. Only one of the other five dealt with an expenditure.
Commissioners also voted to accept the Citizen Ethics Board’s recommendation on the complaint against Commissioner Katrena Felder. The District 3 representative faces prosecution in Waycross Municipal Court after commissioners affirmed the board’s proposal resulting from a four-month investigation that found validity to charges leveled in the complaint of citizen Clayton Nelson.
In other business, commissioners chose District 2’s Sheinita Bennett as Mayor Protemporé to serve in the absence of Mayor Michael-Angelo James. Bennett, whose term expires this year, also served in the role in her second year in the seat.
The commission confirmed a list of pronouncements for the city’s legal officers and appointments to a host of local boards and committees.
WPD Officer Hayden Blackburn was honored as January Employee of the Month while he and fellow officers, Robert Jacobs, Devin McCoy, and Sgt. Jahlil Gage received commendations for their efforts evacuating residents of a burning home Christmas Day.
Mayor James conducted the meeting with all commissioners present.
Resolutions
Currently, the City Charter only provides for filling a vacancy for reasons other than the expiration of the term of office by special election, and doesn’t include the mayor’s office.
The proposed amendment would provided that if a vacancy occurs for either office within one and one-half years after a regular election the Ware County Board of Elections and Registration would, within 10 days after the occurrence, call a special election to fill the vacancy for the balance of the term.
If a vacancy occurs after that period, a person shall be appointed by the majority of the commission following the collection of signatures from 10 percent of the district’s registered voters in support of the appointment.
A mayoral appointee must collect signatures from 10 percent of the city’s entire number of registrants.
A resolution was approved for $88,000 to the Georgia Department of Transportation for its work in relocating city water/sewer lines in connection to the Ossie Davis Overpass project.
The funds will come from the water-sewer account.
A third resolution established qualifying fees, dates and early voting times for this year’s municipal election involving candidates for Districts 1-3.
A fourth adopted a pledge by the commission to promote civility in the execution of its duties and interaction between members and the public.
The measure passed 3-1 with Commissioners Nelson, Roberts and Bennett for, Hopkins against, and Felder abstaining.
The fifth resolution rescheduled the commission’s planning and information session to 3 p.m., Tuesday, January 21, prior to its bi-monthly meeting at 5 p.m. due to the Martin Luther King Holiday, January 20.
The final measure affirmed the appointments of the 12 members of the board of ethics pool.
Those members with two-year appointments are Dr. Earl Martin, Shawn Taylor, Tim Peacock, Lorene Regulus, Dr. Albert Bussey, Michael Hargrove, William Simmons, Dr. Jené Walker, the Rev. Kit Brinson, Ossie Andrews, Marian Solomon-Gaines, and the Rev. Fer-Rell Malone.
Recognitions
Blackburn, who began his WPD career last June, was honored with the monthly employee award for his efforts Christmas Day. He joined his fellow officers in receiving a commendation from Chief Tommy Cox.
“His actions on December 25 were a significant factor in his selection for this honor,” Cox said. “He also made several arrests recently while the crimes were still in progress.”
The WPD officers were commended for their response to a house fire about 2:30 p.m. in the 400 block of Gilmore Street. The fire displaced the dwelling’s 10 residents.
“When the officers arrived on the scene, the house was engulfed in flames and filled with thick smoke,” Cox related. “The officers played a crucial role in helping to evacuate the residents safely.
“I’m very proud of the officers and their service. They put themselves at risk every day for our community, and I greatly appreciate their dedication.”
