Two council posts vacated

DECATUR — Less than 10 days into the new year, two seats have been vacated on Decatur’s recently-elected city council.

Ward 2, Position 1 is left open after Edward (Trip) Lapham III submitted his resignation effective Jan. 1. The search for a replacement for Lapham lead to the discovery that David Sutton was serving in the wrong ward, leaving Ward 3, Position 1 also open.

Mayor Charles Linam - presiding over his first council meeting on Monday night - read Lapham’s resignation letter to the council. Lapham was not present at the meeting.

“For personal reasons and other considerations due to changes in my life, I regret that I will not be able to fulfill my term of office as Alderman for Ward 2, Position 1,”Lapham wrote in the letter dated Dec. 30.

The letter also stated that Lapham is resigning from his position as chairman of the city’s parks and recreation committee and as the head of the planning and zoning committee. Lapham ran unopposed in the November elections. He is the brotherin-law of former Mayor Bill Montgomery.

“It has been an honor to serve the people and the city of Decatur,” he wrote.

“Trip has worked long and hard for the city,” Linam commented.

While searching for a replacement for Lapham, Linam said he discovered that Sutton had been appointed to the wrong ward. Sutton was appointed to Ward 3, Position 1 in 2009 and ran for re-election for the same position last fall. The only problem is thatSutton actually lives in Ward 2. In fact, his home is located nearly two blocks away from Ward 3, thanks to a jog in the ward boundaries.

“I want everyone to understand that his being appointed to the wrong position was not his (Sutton’s) fault in any way, shape or form. It was the city’s fault for appointing him to the wrong position and the county’s fault for not catching the mistake when he ran for re-election,” Linam told the council.

Sutton resigned from the position as alderman for Ward 3, Position 1 on Monday night shortly after being sworn into office. After consulting county officials and city attorney Tom Smith, Linam recommended appointing Sutton to Lapham’s former position as long as no other interested applicants come forward.

Sutton can’t be appointed to Lapham’s position until next month because appointments can’t be made until 10 days after Jan. 1 and Monday’s council meeting was held a day short of that requirement. Smith recommended advertising both open positions until next month’s meeting to see if anyone else is interested.

Two candidates have already voiced interest in Sutton’s former position in Ward 3, Position 1, Linam said. Both Donna Jennings, who lost the November election to Sutton, and Reagina Davis who lost the Ward 3, Position 2 seat to Nan McClain, have shown interest in filling the opening created by Sutton’s resignation.

The council, at its February meeting, will be responsible for making the choice of whom to appoint to the two open positions.

In addition to Sutton, Sandy Duncan, Gina Holt, Nan McClain and James Jessen were sworn into office by county clerk Tena O’Brien at Monday’s meeting.

In other business, the council passed three resolutions to finalize the application process for a $75,000 Rural Services Block Grant for the Decatur Fire Department.

The resolutions authorized the mayor to apply for the grant and promised to abide by state requirements to receive funding, including not using excessive force against non-violent civil rights demonstrations and replacing all moderate- to low-income housing for those displaced by the grant funded constructioneven though no housing will be effected.

If Decatur receives the grant, the city will have to match 10 percent or $7,500. It will be used to purchase a new truck and build an addition onto the fire station, with a bathroom, office space and another truck bay.

“We need to thank Bill Montgomery for starting the grant process,” Linam said.

The application is due on Jan. 14 and will be hand delivered to Little Rock by grant writer Cassie Elliot.

Council members also appointed officers to represent Decatur at the Benton Washington Regional Public Water Authority. Public works director James Boston was appointed as director and Linam was appointed as alternate. The officers will represent Decatur at BWRPWA’s bimonthly meetings.