Maumelle alderman Lewis quits, cites move

Maumelle's City Council will have to fill a vacancy in the same ward for the second time in three months, Mayor Mike Watson announced Friday.

Preston Lewis, who didn't file for re-election last month for a second term as a city alderman for Ward 3, Position 1, resigned Friday, effective immediately, he said in a letter to Watson.

In the two-sentence letter, Lewis said his resignation is because of "a change of residency status." By state statute, an alderman cannot continue to represent a ward if he moves out of it. His term would have ended Dec. 31.

Lewis didn't return phone calls Friday afternoon. Lewis ran for mayor against the incumbent Watson in the 2014 election, midway through his term as alderman.

Watson said he received Lewis' notice Friday morning. He added to Monday's City Council agenda a request for the council to declare a vacancy for the position. The council is then supposed to advertise for applications and make an appointment to fill the position at its next scheduled meeting, Oct. 3.

Marion Scott, who was Ward 3's other elected alderman, resigned in June because she moved to another Maumelle ward. The City Council appointed G.K. Timmons July 5 to fill the remaining two years of Scott's term for Ward 3, Position 2.

"I think this is the first time we've ever appointed two aldermen from the same ward in the same year," Watson said.

Terry Williams was the only candidate to file to run for Lewis' position in the Nov. 8 election. Being unopposed, she would take office Jan. 1.

Williams "makes the most sense" to fill Lewis' term through the end of the year, Watson said, because she will be elected without opposition in seven weeks for a full four-year term.

"But you never know," Watson said. "It would basically give her a head start on her term. If I had the chance I would probably vote for Terry, but it's up to the council."

The mayor only votes to break a tie or to cast a deciding vote for approval.

The City Council already is to appoint a city clerk/treasurer at its Oct. 3 meeting. City Clerk Joshua Clausen resigned effective Aug. 31 under a settlement the City Council approved Aug. 16 in a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city and Clausen.

Watson said the timing of Lewis' resignation creates a dilemma about the order in which the appointments are made Oct. 3. He said he'll ask council to discuss that Monday.

"If you appoint the city clerk first, you only have seven aldermen voting for the city clerk," Watson said. "If you appoint the alderman first, we're asking somebody who just got put onto the council to vote for a city clerk. It's something we've never done before, so I think it's natural to have a discussion about it with the council."

Metro on 09/17/2016

Upcoming Events