Howardwick gets back to business

Howardwick City Hall is conducting business again, and several candidates will appear on a May ballot for every seat on the city council.

Alderman Eric Riddle, who resigned February 13, agreed to attend a called meeting of the Howardwick City Council last Thursday, March 1, in order to approve a limited number of important agenda items.

Riddle’s resignation, along with that of Alderman Mac Miller the same day and Alderman Shelly Williamson in December, had paralyzed the city by eliminating the possibility of the council having a quorum to meet. That situation was compounded February 15 when City Secretary Tammy Jordan also resigned and left the city without the needed two signatures to for paying bills.

Texas law provides that a public official, even after resigning, technically still holds their office until their replacement is in place, and thus Riddle was able to attend last week, along with Mayor Greta Byars and Aldermen Robert Brewster and Doc Holladay, in order to help the city get back on track.

The ten-minute meeting included just five action items, all of which were unanimously approved.
The council approved the appointment of Sandra Childress as the new city secretary and authorized her name to the Herring Bank signature cards.

Aldermen also voted to name Sam Grider as the presiding election judge and Tommie Duncan as the alternate judge for the regular and special city elections that will be held concurrently on May 5.

Current bills were approved to be paid, and the council also approved a motion that allows City Hall to pay “regular bills” that will come due through the May election.

Thursday’s meeting was held civilly and without interruption from those in attendance, which was a departure from city meetings in the last few months.

Following the meeting, Childress, who had organized a petition two weeks ago that led to Donley County calling a special election in May, thanked Riddle for his attendance and thanked citizens who signed the petition.

Meanwhile, filing for candidates for the special election called by the county for two aldermen’s seats expiring in 2019 closed on Friday with five candidates running for those positions. Brice Hawley, Vol Lindsey, James Wix, Johnny Floyd, and Mary Grady will compete for those two unexpired terms.

The same May 5 ballot will have three full aldermen’s terms open, and four people are running for those positions. Alderman Doc Holladay will be joined on the ballot by Marietta Baird, Kay Dye, and Debora Sharpton.

Childress said a town hall meeting featuring the eight city candidates as well as county officials is being considered for the last week of March, but a date is not finalized.