New Council member?
September 6th, 2007 by 
Alica
Who do you think should replace Kathy Ford as a Ward I representative on the Brandon City Council until that seat’s term is up next spring?
Ford got a new job and is moving to Georgia. She was elected last spring to fill out the last year of Steve Kolbeck’s term. He resigned from the council when he got elected to a state job and moved to Pierre.
Between the time Kolbeck resigned and Ford got elected, Bob Serk held the seat. He ran against Ford last spring, and she defeated him. Should he get the seat back for the remaininder of the term? Or should Mayor Larry Beesley appoint someone else?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
September 6th, 2007 at 11:10 am
To bad, I voted for her because she was a woman. questioned it, as she had only live here 31/2 years. Goes to prove I made a mistake. She sold me on her wanting to really serve the city, wrong.
September 6th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Frank, you did not waste your vote. Kathy is / was a good councilmember who brought her professional legal background to her seat on the council.
I respect the fact that she has to make a tough decision professionally for her career.
This promotion just goes to show the caliber of talent she brought to the table.
I know being a local politician you clearly are not in it for the $$$$$. It is usually a drive to make a difference for the organization you serve.
The taxpayers are very fortunate that we have MANY talented individuals who call
Brandon home.
Good Luck Kathy!
September 7th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Mayor Beesley should appoint someone else, as was brought out in the campaingn by Kathy, Serk is part of the good old boys club.
September 7th, 2007 at 11:29 am
A good old boys club is ineffective if the citizens are vigilant watchdogs of city government.
Also, I would suggest that a good old boys club should, as any group should, use their power always for good and never for evil. It’s the City Council’s job always to balance what is best for an individual with what is best for the town as a whole. The Council also always should look ahead a decade or so to envision the consequences of their decisions.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
I don’t think it’s up to the mayor, I think last time the potential candidates had to go in front of the council. I think they had more to do with it than the mayor did.
September 7th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
A good old boys club with 4 members on the council is almost impossible to beat. Someone has to vote against their friends. A club with five members is unbeatable until some of them can be voted out of office.
People may use their power for good. It’s the definition of what’s good for the town that causes most of the arguments.
September 9th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
According to city law, it is up to the mayor to appoint. He has chosen to do as they did the last time he needed to make an appointment. People who are interested, may turn their name into city hall, and they will have an evening where each interested person can site their qualifications to the entire council, and they then discuss the candidates, and choose. The mayor then makes the appointment.
September 9th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Thank you for the information Sally. Will that meeting be open to the public and listed under the council meetings?
September 10th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
#8 The last meeting was open to the public, so I can’t imagine why this one wouldn’t be also.
September 11th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
who are the members of the good old boys club?
September 28th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Lets just put it this way, it’s not the people who draw their MAIN income from the city.