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McKenzie Votes to End Ward System, Martin Resigns from Council

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McKENZIE (September 30) — In a special called meeting, the City of McKenzie Board of Mayor and Council met Thursday evening to vote on the approval of an at-large voting system. Unanimously on the first reading, the Council voted to abolish the ward system and adopt the at-large system.

With new census data, the current wards would have to be adjusted which is a time-consuming process, but allowing for an at-large system would allow for a greater number of candidates to run for open seats.

If the Council votes in favor of the at-large system during the second reading in November, the City of McKenzie has to change its charter with approval coming from the state legislature.

The council seats would be on staggered terms preventing the possibility of an entirely new council through one election. The November 2022 election would have four council elections, Ward II, Ward III, Ward V and Ward IV. Ward IV would be a two-year term realigning the term with Ward I and Ward VI when those seats come up for election in 2024.

The Council voted for a third time to maintain McKenzie’s current tax rate for the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget. The state comptroller’s office caught an error in the submitted rate which brought the Council in to reaffirm the rate before the first Monday in October.

In other business, Mayor Holland and the Council acknowledged the resignation of Councilman Jason R. Martin who is moving out of Ward II. Martin’s seat will be declared vacant in the October 14 meeting.