By Katelynn Griffin
Last Tuesday, Hustonville Mayor Cecil Maddox resigned, forcing the city council to fill the vacancy.
Maddox said that his mother’s health and the work he does around his farm is keeping him from fully focusing on his duties as mayor. “I felt like I couldn’t do them justice with taking care of the family,” Maddox said. “I hated to give it up.”
Maddox had two and half years left in his second term as mayor when he made his surprise announcement at last week’s city council meeting. Recently he’s been criticized for his handling of the fire department stemming from the dismissal/resignation of Hustonville Fire Chief Stanley Shepperson last year.
“When there is a little conflict, I don’t enjoy that.” But he said that his decision to resign had nothing to do with the current problems of the city. “We got everything pretty much under control,” Maddox said. “No problem there.”
State law allows the city thirty days to replace Maddox, but the six council members chose to fill the position that night. Councilman Jimmy Lane nominated Marc Spivey, who is serving his second term on the council, and the motion was seconded by Kayne Merriman. A unanimous decision made it official; Spivey will act as the mayor until November when it will be up to voters to decide who will fill the vacancy.
“I want to serve this town well,” Spivey, who plans to have his name on the ballot in November, said. “I think that our city is moving in the right direction.” He said that the issues people had with the city and the fire chief are beginning to settle down. “We have a competent fire department which is in the process of receiving new gear and another fire truck,” he said. Suspected cocaine and pills were recovered at Crossroads Market in Hustonville by law enforcement and Spivey said that this proves that the city is taking a stand against drugs. “People who want to do drugs, were not gonna have it here.”
Laura Ross, legal service counsel for the Kentucky League of Cities, said since the next general election is this November the vacancy for Spivey’s seat will be filled then. County Clerk Sonny Spoonamore said that the deadline to file is Aug. 14 and people can begin submitting the required paperwork around the first of July.
Last Tuesday, Hustonville Mayor Cecil Maddox resigned, forcing the city council to fill the vacancy.
Maddox said that his mother’s health and the work he does around his farm is keeping him from fully focusing on his duties as mayor. “I felt like I couldn’t do them justice with taking care of the family,” Maddox said. “I hated to give it up.”
Maddox had two and half years left in his second term as mayor when he made his surprise announcement at last week’s city council meeting. Recently he’s been criticized for his handling of the fire department stemming from the dismissal/resignation of Hustonville Fire Chief Stanley Shepperson last year.
“When there is a little conflict, I don’t enjoy that.” But he said that his decision to resign had nothing to do with the current problems of the city. “We got everything pretty much under control,” Maddox said. “No problem there.”
State law allows the city thirty days to replace Maddox, but the six council members chose to fill the position that night. Councilman Jimmy Lane nominated Marc Spivey, who is serving his second term on the council, and the motion was seconded by Kayne Merriman. A unanimous decision made it official; Spivey will act as the mayor until November when it will be up to voters to decide who will fill the vacancy.
“I want to serve this town well,” Spivey, who plans to have his name on the ballot in November, said. “I think that our city is moving in the right direction.” He said that the issues people had with the city and the fire chief are beginning to settle down. “We have a competent fire department which is in the process of receiving new gear and another fire truck,” he said. Suspected cocaine and pills were recovered at Crossroads Market in Hustonville by law enforcement and Spivey said that this proves that the city is taking a stand against drugs. “People who want to do drugs, were not gonna have it here.”
Laura Ross, legal service counsel for the Kentucky League of Cities, said since the next general election is this November the vacancy for Spivey’s seat will be filled then. County Clerk Sonny Spoonamore said that the deadline to file is Aug. 14 and people can begin submitting the required paperwork around the first of July.
