Jimmy Poss was sworn in as Smithville’s new mayor, and Tim Stribling and Jason Judd Murphy were sworn in as new aldermen at a special called meeting Friday at City Hall.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson’s last meeting, however, was marked by a disagreement over the timing of an appointment to the Smithville Electric System Board.
The agenda for the special called meeting stated that the purpose was to swear in the mayor and aldermen-elect and to make an appointment to the SES board.
The position on the board has been held by Hilton Conger, who was appointed in September 2010 to fill an unexpired term, which expired June 30.
Alderman Danny Washer made it clear that he was displeased with the inclusion of the appointment on the agenda for the special meeting Friday, saying that it was announced at a previous meeting that the swearing in of the mayor and aldermen would be the only business conducted.
"I remember exactly what was said,” Washer said at the meeting Friday, “It was for the sole purpose of swearing in of the mayor and aldermen. But you've added something to it,” Washer told Hendrixson.
Washer also said he was displeased that he had only received the agenda for the special meeting hours before the meeting took place.
“I got the agenda today in the mail. I have had no time to look at that or even consider it,” Washer said.
“That's not doing us right. That's not doing the board right. I told you when I was elected I didn't want to be blind-sided, but you blind-sided me on this,” said Washer to the mayor.
“We didn't say that it was the sole purpose,” Hendrixson replied.
City attorney Vester Parsley, Jr. told the assembly that he felt the mayor's notice was adequate under the circumstances.
“The mayor has the authority to call a special called meeting without presenting all the issues to the board,” Parsley said. “But he has to give the notice to the board members of what the purpose is.”
“How long does he have to give that notice?” Washer inquired.
Parsley answered, “24 hours.”
Washer then made a motion to table action on the city board appointment until the next regular meeting so board members could “discuss it and give us all time to look at it and see what we need to do.”
The motion did not receive a second, but after the swearing in of the new mayor and aldermen the subject was not brought up again, and the appointment was not made.
Conger will apparently not be able to serve in the position, as the SES by-laws state that "no one shall be eligible for membership on the electric power board unless: (he or she) has not been a regular compensated officer or employee of the said city for at least one year preceding the date of his or her appointment.”
Conger serves as a city judge.
After the swearing-in ceremony Parsley presented a plaque of appreciation to retiring alderman Cecil Burger, who served as alderman for six years and mayor from 1990 until 2006.
Plaques were also presented to Steve White for 12 years of service as alderman, from 2000 to 2012, and to Hendrixson, who served as mayor from 2006 to 2012.
Meanwhile, Poss, Stribling and Murphy took over their new positions on July 1, and Poss presided over his first city council meeting Monday night, making the appointments to various city boards and commissions, including naming himself as a city representative to the SES board.
He also named Gayla Hendrix as finance and taxation commissioner, Tim Stribling as commissioner of streets and safety, Danny Washer as water and sewer commissioner, Jason Murphy as sanitation commissioner, and Shawn Jacobs as police and fire commissioner.
Alderman Danny Washer was named vice mayor.
The citizen member of the SES board has not yet been appointed, and Conger will continue to serve until someone else is selected.
Other appointments included Danny Washer to the golf course committee; Jason Murphy, Clay Farler and Jimmy Poss to the planning commission; Wade Smith and Eddie Hobson to the Board of Zoning Appeals; Annette Greek and Danny Washer to the beer board; and Tim Stribling to the 911 board.
The aldermen unanimously approved the appointments.
The board also granted a request from Fire Chief Charlie Parker to apply for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant to fund the purchase of a new thermal imaging camera and rescue equipment.
If the grant is approved, the city would be responsible for a five percent match, which would be $4,000-$5,000, according to Parker.
The city has $10,000 budgeted in the fire department's capital outlay account to cover the grant match.