The Laurel City Council on Tuesday set a special election for February to fill a vacant seat on the council. The municipal body voted 5-0 (Councilman George Carmichael was absent and there is one seat vacant) to adopt an order setting a special election date of February 11 to fill the unexpired term of Ward Six Councilman Travares Comegys, who was elected in November as a Jones County supervisor.
In a letter of resignation dated December 13, 2019, Comegys said he was resigning his “position as City Councilman of Ward 6 due to recently being elected to the Jones County Board of Supervisors for Beat 5.”
Mayor Johnny Magee told the council that he had received some calls inquiring as to whether the city needed seven councilpersons and would consider reducing the number to five. However, officials said, that concern would not affect the city’s process concerning the Ward Six vacancy.
“State law says that we have to have an election within 45 days of a vacancy,” the mayor said. “So, regardless of what is being considered, we would still need to have this election.”
According to the council’s order, Mississippi Code dictates that when a vacancy occurs in an elective municipal office, and the unexpired term exceeds six months, the governing authorities must enter an order on the official minutes requiring an election to be held in the municipality to fill the vacancy and fixing a date upon which such election will be held.
Based on the law, the qualifying deadline for this special election is Wednesday, January 22 at 5 p.m., and the election will occur 35 days after the approval of the council order. Therefore, the election will be February 11; if needed, a runoff election will be held on March 3.
Councilman Tony Wheat said he would caution anyone concerning changing the makeup of the council to wait until the census had been completed.
Council president Tony Thaxton said if the number of councilpersons is a concern for residents, then they can address it.
“This is not something that has to come from the council,” he said. “Our form of government calls for a mayor and seven councilpersons. If something else is being considered, that can be proposed by others. It is not totally left up to the council.”
Also Tuesday, the council voted to adopt a resolution to close out the 18th Street Sewer Rehabilitation Project.
And in a separate matter, the council adopted an order approving a petty cash fun in the water billing office of $3,000.
City Clerk Mary Ann Hess said the current amount kept as petty cash is $1,500. However, officials said the amount is being increased due to the city changing depositories and the amount of time and personnel hours each day it would require for several trips to the new depository located on Highway 84.
Following a brief discussion, all five councilmen (Councilman George Carmichael was absent and there is one seat vacant) agreed with the change.
Also Tuesday, the council adopted an order accepting a check from The Hundred Club of Jones County for $1,300 for use by the Laurel Fire Department for a thermal imaging camera for Station Four.
In other business, the council adopted an order accepting the bid of one piece of surplus property located at 3 Marathon Drive and approved an order granting travel for Kristal Jones and Lauren Stewart to attend the 2020 Spring -Athenian Leadership Society Dialogue on April 23 in Southhaven. The council also approved the travel for the city clerk to attend the 74th Annual IIMC Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 16-21.