Special-called meeting held swears in members
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

Council members, from left, council woman Pam Frederick, Mayor A.W. Hines, and councilman Rodger Johnson accept the first restitution payment made by former city secretary Patty Cooper with a cashier's check for $65,500. The check was picked up at Region's Bank -- where a hold was placed on Cooper's CD by Judge Kerry Russell as part of Cooper pleading guilty to stealing from the City of Bullard.

Last week's special-called city council meeting - due to unforeseen circumstances - didn't produce all the results council members hoped.

Two council members were absent - one with a sick child, the other due to illness. Mayor Connie Vaughan had to cancel at the last minute because his son-in-law was in a car wreck.

So while the council was able to canvass votes from the May election and City Secretary swore in newly elected Mayor A.W. Hines and council members Pam Frederick and Rodger Johnson that left the meeting without a quorum.

Once Hines was sworn in, he was no longer a councilmember, reducing the members to two - when it takes three to constitute a quorum.

"Monday was a rather unusual council meeting," said City Manager Larry Morgan. "Only once to my knowledge - since I've been in Bullard -- has there not been a quorum."

"Unfortunately circumstances beyond anyone's control left us in a tight spot."

That will be rectified, he said, at the next regular meeting, set for June 12.

At that meeting, the council is expected to pick up where it left of last week.

Because Hines didn't resign his council seat when he ran for mayor, the council will discuss and possibly act on the appointment of someone to fill his vacant seat.

Also, Hines' former position of Mayor Pro-Tem will likely be filled by one of the existing council members.

"I've stated from the beginning that even though I could submit my choice as Mayor Pro- Tem, I would rather let the council make that decision," Hines said. "It shouldn't be about who I would choose; it should be who they believe best suits that position."

The Mayor Pro-Tem's job - in a council - is to act as mayor in his absence and assume any duties when the mayor is unavailable to do so.