Tag Archives: Mayor

An in-house pay study of Sparta employees has shown a need to increase wages. Just how much the raises would amount to unknown at this time. City Administrator Brad Hennessee told Aldermen Thursday night he recommended scheduling a work session to layout option. “A meaningful and effective adjustment is going to be expensive,” Hennessee said. “The city just started a ... Read More »

Sparta has a new mayor in Jerry Lowery. Lowery received 59.3 percent of the vote beating Mayor Jeff Young who got 40.7 percent. Lowery said he believed the people wanted a change after Young served 12 years as mayor. “I am a believer in term limits, and I think there was a lot of people while I was out campaigning ... Read More »

David Sullivan is the new mayor of Van Buren County. Sullivan won convincingly with 1,018 votes. Candidate Jessica Grissom received 653 votes. Candidate Kelly Dishman got 370 votes. “With my policy for the future, I hope to have communication with the general public and also an open door policy for people to come in and discuss problems,” Sullivan said. “We ... Read More »

Monterey Board of Aldermen voted Nathan Walker to serve as interim mayor at a special called meeting Monday. Walker was the only nominee made by the board to replace JJ Reels who resigned earlier this month. Walker will serve as the interim mayor, board chair, and keep his seat as a Third Ward Alderman until the August elections. “We have ... Read More »

Monterey Vice-Mayor Mark Farley has assumed the position of as mayor for the time being. “Mark Farley has stepped into the role,” Alderman Nathan Walker said. “He’s getting the business of the city done, so there’s no delays. Everything that needs to be done is certainly getting done. There is going to be a continuity of government happening so everybody ... Read More »

Monterey Mayor JJ Reels told city employees and Aldermen Friday he would step down as Mayor effective Monday. Reels cited ongoing medical issues as the reason. Reels said the issue is non-life-threatening. Reels said he would issue a statement before Monday’s meeting. Reels said he made the decision shortly after announcing in February he would not seek re-election. As for ... Read More »

The Livingston Board of Aldermen approved final reading of a city charter change granting a city mayor more hiring power. The ordinance did not receive any public comment Monday night and Alderman David Langford was the only member to vote against the ordinance. The change allows a Livingston Mayor to hire and suspend employees without board approval. Department heads would ... Read More »

Livingston’s Board of Aldermen looked at three different options for the mayor’s hiring and firing powers during a Tuesday night work session. The consensus among the board was to give the mayor power to hire city employees that are not supervisors or department heads. However, Alderman Chris Speck said he heard from constituents who have reservations about this authority in ... Read More »

Celina has a new mayor and board of aldermen after Tuesday’s city election. Luke Collins will take over as mayor with 55 percent of the vote outpacing Micheal Boles who received 30 percent. Incumbent Tonya Spears finished in third with 14 percent. Making up the Board of Aldermen will be Justin “Rooney” Rich 25 percent, Lester Kenny Westmoreland 21 percent ... Read More »

(Editors Note: This is the seventh in a series of Meet The Candidate Interviews as we prepare for the June 1 election in Celina. The office of mayor will be filled as will three seats on the Board Of Aldermen.) Luke Collins is one of the three people running for Celina Mayor. Collins said he was born in Celina and ... Read More »