Newly-elected city council members will take office next month, following a swearing-in ceremony set for Saturday, Dec.

Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Newly-elected city council members will take office next month, following a swearing-in ceremony set for Saturday, Dec. 1.

Incoming council president Jesse Roberts told other council members, and newly-elected council member John Elam, who was in the audience, on Monday night that he had prepared an informational packet for the new council.

Roberts succeeds council president Jim Tordiff. According to city charter, the council president serves a two-year term and is chosen based upon the number of votes gained at the last general election.

Two years ago, Roberts was the top vote-getter, meaning his term as president begins in December. Tordiff will again take the president’s seat in two years, as he was the top vote-getter at this month’s election.

Roberts also said he had made committee assignments, which will be discussed at the Dec. 1 swearing-in ceremony.

The new council will meet for the first time at the Dec. 13 regular council meeting.

At Monday night’s meeting, held then because of the Thanksgiving holiday, three council members were absent – Tordiff, Leo Ulery and Bob Vaughn.

The council read the minutes and a finance committee report – which included items on fire department overtime, and heating at the wastewater treatment plant – but could take no action on two emergency ordinances.

Only the full council majority can declare an emergency and enact an ordinance on the first reading.

Two ordinances were read, but no action taken:

– Authorizing the mayor to award bids for the installation of heating, ventilation and air equipment at the wastewater plant. The building currently has no heat.

Mayor Bob Cleary told council members he would check with that department to see if the issue could wait until the next regular meeting.

– Amending the annual operating budget of the city for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2001. The amendment would place $6,300 left over from the salary account of John Gillenwater (who left employment with the city in October) into the fire department’s overtime line item fund.