DALTON — Charlie Bethel, who is running for the state House of Representatives District 4 seat, resigned from the Dalton City Council Monday night during the council’s meeting.
Bethel’s resignation was effective immediately.
The state constitution would have required Bethel to vacate his council position immediately upon qualifying for the House seat in late April. But Bethel said he wanted to make sure the council had time to advertise and hold a special election along with the July 20 general primary.
Holding a special election apart from the primary could cost the city $15,000, and Bethel said he did not want to see that.
“There are no more meetings in March, and there would be just the one at the beginning of April,” he said. “If I had stepped down at the first meeting in April, that would have compressed the time period for advertising that there is a vacancy. I know I’ve said I would be doing this. But this makes it very clear there is an opportunity to fill that Ward 4 seat.”
The City Council voted 3-0 to accept Bethel’s resignation and to call for a special election on July 20.
Qualifying for the Ward 4 seat will be April 26 through April 30. Ward 4 is roughly that part of Dalton south of Walnut Avenue.
Dalton businessman Gary Crews has already announced he will run in the nonpartisan race.
The council also held the first reading of a resolution on enforcing city ordinances in West Hill Cemetery. The resolution details policies on matters such as installation of benches, fences and monuments, as well as the placement of floral arrangements, trees and shrubs. It also calls on the city sexton to enforce the new rules.
At a meeting in February, several residents complained that several grave sites are out of compliance with the current code, which bars fences, sidewalks, benches or other enclosures unless constructed by the city.
Council members said the resolution will be available at City Hall in the city clerk’s office as well as on the city’s Web site (www.cityofdalton-ga.gov).
Victor Cervantes, 14, spoke to the council and asked that the members consider creating a skateboard park. Cervantes noted that many cities have such parks, but in Dalton, where there is no park, many skateboarders skate on the street, which is dangerous. He gave council members a petition asking for a park.
Mayor David Pennington said the recreation department will look into the matter and have an answer for him.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ historic preservation division has awarded Dalton $10,000 to produce a Web-based Civil War Landscape Museum master plan. Before the council meeting, Pennington said that grant is related to the work of John Veverka, a consultant hired by local officials to help them develop historical tourism in the area.
Local News
March 15, 2010
Bethel resigns council seat
- Local News
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