DECATUR — A jog in the boundary between Decatur’s Ward 2 and Ward 3 has created a great deal of confusion in filling an open council seat, and the confusion is not over yet.
This month, David Walls became the second person in Decatur to be incorrectly appointed to the Ward 3, Position 3 council seat. It was discovered in January that councilman David Sutton - who lives a few blocks away from Walls - was appointed and then reelected to the wrong ward.
To fix the problem, Sutton resigned from his position on Ward 3 and was re-appointed to the Ward 2, Position 2 council seat left open by Trip Lapham’s resignation in January. In February the council voted to appoint David Walls to fill Sutton’s former position on Ward 3, Position 3. The only problem is that it now appears Walls also lives in Ward 2, thanks to the same jog in the boundary line.
But the county’s position hasn’t always been consistent. Walls said he inquired about running against Lapham in November’s election for the Ward 2, Position 2 council seat but decided not to run for city council after county officials told city administrative assistant Kim Wilkins that Walls was not in Lapham’s ward. Now county officials are saying that Walls can’t be appointed to the open Ward 3, Position 3 seat because he lives in Ward 2.
On Monday, Walls said he was disappointed and that it appears he won’t get a chance to serve on the council this term.
“I would have liked to been on there. I think I could have done some good things,” he said.
Sutton and Walls are not the only ones who have been affected by the confusion over ward boundaries. Donna Jennings, who ran against David Sutton for the Ward 3, Position 3 council seat and lost, would have been unopposed in the election if Sutton had filed for the correct ward.
Jennings also appeared before the council asking to be appointed to Ward 3, Position 3 last month. Alderman James Jessenmade a motion to appoint Jennings to the seat but his motion died for lack of a second. Three other council members voted for Walls, with Mayor Charles Linam casting the deciding vote in his favor.
On Monday, Jennings said she was not planning to make a third bid for the Ward 3, Position 3 council seat.
“I just don’t want to get involved in this mess,” she said.
The Decatur City Council will have to continue to serve with only five positions until someone shows interest in the Ward 3, Position 3 seat, Linam said.
Decatur’s ward boundaries will have to be redrawn this year because the 2010 census shows a change in population, Linam said. However, the changes in population for each ward have not yet been released. The city has also annexed several portions of land since the ward boundaries were last drawn. That could also have an effect, Linam said.
Linam expected the exact census numbers to be released within the next several days.
News, Pages 2 on 03/09/2011