Tontitown Mayor Resigns

New Recorder Treasurer Chosen

Tommy Granata in a 2010 file photo
Tommy Granata in a 2010 file photo

— Mayor Tommy Granata announced his resignation Wednesday after a controversial City Council meeting.

“I don’t like the way things are going,” Granata said. “I’m taking this time to announce my resignation.”

Granata made his announcement at the end of the meeting after votes went against him. The council voted to remove the administrative assistant position from the city and appointed a recorder/treasurer he had opposed in the past.

Granata also resigned previously but stayed after the council asked him to stay.

The council appointed Alicia Collins as the new city recorder/treasurer. Collins is also employed full-time by the city’s Water and Sewer Department.

Sunny Hinshaw, council member, said she didn’t think Collins was eligible to be a city employee and an elected official.

“I don’t think this is legal,” Hinshaw said.

J.R. Carroll, city attorney, said he would have to research if state statutes prevented that situation.

“The worst-case scenario is she would have to resign if it’s not legal,” Carroll said.

Kara Jo McKinley, who was unopposed for the recorder/treasurer position in November’s election, notified the city she was resigning. McKinley was appointed to the position in 2012 but resigned after she filed for election.

Collins also applied for the position previously when other candidates were chosen.

The advisory committee for the city’s Water and Sewer Department, which met before the council began, decided to hold future meetings before the council’s meeting of the whole. The meeting of the whole is scheduled for the fourth Thursday of each month with the next coming Jan. 24.

The committee was holding its first meeting since taking over from the Tontitown Water and Sewer Commission.

The five returning council members were approved as the advisory committee of the department at last month’s meeting. The members are Hinshaw, Henry Piazza, Bobby Pianalto, Joey Pianalto and Mike Zulpo.

Voters approved disbanding the commission in November.

The council also chose Jan. 8 to discuss the 2013 city budget.

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