Meeker’s Town Board of Trustees is back to full strength and the town has a new vice mayor.
The Trustees, during their meeting Monday night, interviewed three candidates for the vacancy created by the resignation of former Vice Mayor Carl Cornett in February that was formally accepted by the board in March.
They spent more than an hour in executive session interviewing each of the candidates and discussing them before returning to open meeting and choosing Richard Coleman to fill the vacancy.
The other two interviewed were Carolyn Dunn and Billy Walker.
Coleman was sworn in by Mayor Aaron Head who administered the oath of office.
Following Coleman’s swearing in, the Trustees then appointed Trustee Jeff Wilbourn to replace Cornett as the vice mayor. Wilbourn was elected to the Board of Trustees last November during a special election.
Trustees also approved a supplemental budget for the General Town of Meeker to increase revenue by $187,751.33.
Town Administrator Dickie Walton explained the revenue increase was due to additional grants, donations and other miscellaneous income.
Following some discussion, the Trustees agreed to an upgrade of the telephone system with Vyve for Meeker City Hall and to an upgrade of the internet system for the Police Department with Vyve.
It was pointed out the upgrades come with a five-year warranty.
Meeting as the Meeker Public Works Authority, Trustees took similar action for upgrading the phone system for the PWA and to add a telephone line for the sewer plant for the alarm system for pumps.
Under the Consent Agenda of the Trustees, they decided to take no action on renewing the Meeker Youth Sports Association Agreement at the Meeker Lake. Walton noted the Association was not responding to repeated attempts to contact him about the agreement.
In another matter, Trustees tabled a grazing lease with Janice Nagle that lies west of the Meeker Reservoir. The lease is for approximately 20 acres for $111.20 per year.
Under the PWA, Trustees approved purchase of a new 35 Horsepower Kawasaki Bob-Cat Predator Pro 7000, 61-inch cut mower from Wright Tractors LLC for $9,399 as budgeted in the 2019- 2020 PWA budget.