01/30/12 Last week the Culver Town Council continued the debate of Republican Patty Stallings being appointed to the Park Board when a Democrat had let her interest of being on the board known.
Earlier this month the Culver Park Board had the duty to appoint one republican and one democrat to the board due to expiring terms. Kathy Hart was appointed as the republican but the democratic appointment was a bit more problematic. In 2011 Stallings was appointed to fill the democratic seat by the town council when no democrat showed interest in the seat. At that time she agreed to change party affiliation to make a politically balanced board but a primary hasn’t been held yet for her to do so. At the first meeting in January the Council appointed her back on the Park Board even though Rhonda Rhinehold, a democrat submitted a letter requesting to be appointed to the vacant seat.
Leroy Bean, a member of the Culver Park Board said, “We have an illegal board.” He asked the Council to fix it and noted his concern that if the park applied for a grant and it was discovered the make-up of the board was unbalanced. He questioned the ramifications it could have.
Council member Lynn Overmyer said, “I don’t care if you’re a democrat or republican, if you do a good job.” She continued, “If state statue says we must be balanced, than I agree. If a democrat is willing to serve, how can we not put her on?”
Ginny Bess Munroe explained her vote earlier in the month by saying, “I didn’t want to kick someone off so I voted yes.” The vote went 3 to 2 with Overmyer and Ed Pinder voting against it.
Marshall County Commissioner Kevin Overmyer said that elected officials make appointments to various boards that require you to be a democratic or republican. He said, “We all take an oath of office which tells us we must uphold the laws of the state of Indiana. That’s what I’d hang my hat on”
The Culver Town Council motioned to table the discussion until their next meeting on February 14th.
