4 apply for 2nd District council seat

By Mallory Panuska
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT July 21, 2008 11:35 pm

— A total of four applicants from Fairmont’s 2nd District have expressed interest in filling the expiring council term left open by the recent resignation of Burley “Butch” Tennant.
Following a short, less than two week application period, the deadline for candidates to submit letters of interest for the seat ran up at noon Monday. The term will officially expire on Dec. 31, and whoever is chosen will be required to run for the seat in November’s general election.
City Clerk Janet Keller said Monday afternoon that the four candidates, who will be interviewed by current council members prior to their meeting tonight, are Robert L. “Bob” Sapp, Keith R. Craig, Daniel L. Jones II, and Robert J. Williams III.
Of these four, Keller said Sapp, Craig and Jones have also applied to be on the ballot in November.
Tennant vacated the seat on July 1 after almost two full terms because he is moving out of the district. He will be the Democratic contender running against Republican County Commission President Alan Parks in November.
Council members will conduct individual interviews with the four candidates beginning at 6 p.m. tonight and plan to name and swear in the new representative at their proceeding meeting at 7 p.m., Keller said.
The application period officially ran from July 9 to July 21 and eligible candidates were required to live in District 2 and be a registered voter of the city. Council members had to name a replacement to the seat within 30 days of the vacancy before the city would have been required to hold a special election under City Code.
According to city maps, District 2 includes Morgantown Avenue, the Suncrest area, Hoult Road, and from Alta Vista Avenue to Morgantown Avenue. Other streets include Kentucky, Delaware and parts of Pittsburgh, Maryland, East Park avenues and Fairfax Street.
E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.