By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
During the City of Parsons regular Council Meeting the City passed an ordinance to amend the number of Wards in the City. The vote came after the second and final reading and no public comment on the measure to reduce the number of Wards from the current number of three to two. The measure strives to clarify the current voting Wards represented on the City Council.
Ward One, according to City Attorney Tim Stranko, will be located west of Shavers Fork and Ward Two will be located up to Shavers Fork and west of the Black Fork.
The measure to reduce the number of voting wards had no objections raised and no comments when the public comment period was opened. With no public comments on the issue, the public comment period was promptly closed. “The Code allows us to amend the charter by ordinance if there are no objections to the proposed amendment.” Stranko said.
A copy of the proposed ordinance had been publicly published in the Parsons Advocate by the City prior to the public hearing. Two members of the public were on hand for the meeting, but neither addressed the council during the meeting.
A motion was made by Council Member Melissa Jones to adopt the ordinance and amend the charter. The motion was seconded by Council Member Kathy DiBacco. The measure was passed unanimously in a verbal vote of the Council members following no discussion on the matter by the Council.
The change in the number of voting Wards has no effect on the current sitting council members, as there are only members from Ward One and Ward Two currently seated on the Council. The measure only strives to reflect the currently represented Wards with the City Charter. “We will have a change in our ordinance that clarifies where our Wards are,” Mayor Kolsun said.
The next meeting of the City of Parsons will be held Tuesday, January 23 at 6 p.m. at the Charles W. “Bill” Rosenau Municipal Building located at 341 Second Street in Parsons.
