Filling The Vacancy On Council
Published 5:41 pm Thursday, May 8, 2014
FARMVILLE — Town Council will discuss next week how to proceed filling the At-Large seat vacancy created by the election of David E. Whitus as mayor.
Ironically, Whitus became a town council member when he was appointed in 1998 to fill the seat vacated by Sydnor C. Newman, Jr., who was elected mayor in that May’s municipal election.
Coming full circle, Whitus vacates the seat on June 30 to become mayor, following once again in Newman’s electoral footsteps.
Town Attorney Donald C. Blessing said during town council’s May work session this week that Whitus had asked him “to try to be prepared next Wednesday night to just let council know what its options are.”
Town council’s regular May monthly meeting is next Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Whitus noted, “there are options. Council has options. And if we’re not sure what they all are there’s got to be some research done.”
Those options apparently include town council making an appointment to serve until a special election can be held to elect someone to fill the remainder of Whitus’ unexpired term, which runs through June 30, 2016. Or council can appoint someone and petition the circuit court to install the appointee to serve the remaining period of Whitus’ At-Large term.
There are five Ward seats and two At-Large seats on town council, with council members serving staggered terms.
There were town council elections in Wards A, B, and C, in addition to one of the two At-Large seats, on Tuesday. Incumbents Sally Thompson, Armstead D. Reid and Tommy Pairet won, unchallenged, in Wards B and C and the At-Large seat, respectively. Greg Cole was elected over Cory Wingo in Ward A, where incumbent Dr. Edward I. Gordon decided not to run for another term.
There will be elections in Wards D and E, and for the second At-Large seat, in May of 2016.