Open council position may be on November ballot

For the second time in as many elections, it looks as though the the city of McCook will be asked to select an extra council member in the November general elections.

The council will be given the opportunity to accept the resignation of Councilman Jerry Reitz at its regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 16. According to City Manager John Bingham, Mayor Jerda Garey will begin appointment recommendations at the Sept. 7 meeting.

The same circumstance presented itself to the McCook City Council in August 2002, when then-city council member Chris Overman offered his resignation.

While the deadline for non-incumbents filing for general election has passed, the city may set an extended deadline for the abandoned city council post.

If the city follows the same procedure it did in the 2002 election, that issue will be separate from the three seats already on the ballot.

According to state statute if a council vacancy occurs in a city such as McCook, it will be up to council to appoint an interim council member to serve the term through the next general election.

Candidates will be allowed to file for the remaining two years of the four year term and voters will be given the opportunity to choose their candidate