Marthasville Alderman Dan Grafrath, East Ward, resigned from his elected office in early December, leaving the city’s already-small board of aldermen with a sparse three members. Grafrath was …
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Marthasville Alderman Dan Grafrath, East Ward, resigned from his elected office in early December, leaving the city’s already-small board of aldermen with a sparse three members. Grafrath was also president of the board, leaving that post vacant as well.
City officials said Grafrath resigned on Dec. 7 because he had moved out of town to a residence in Washington.
“Thank you for the opportunity to serve as an alderman for the city of Marthasville,” Grafrath wrote in his letter of resignation.
Mayor David Lange said Grafrath’s change of residence happened in late November. Grafrath had been absent from multiple prior board meetings in the months before his resignation.
Grafrath’s seat on the board of aldermen is now up for election in April. The representative who replaces him will serve a shortened one-year term in order to finish Grafrath’s term in office.
As of this week, resident Gary Dixon is the only candidate to register for that election, according to city staff.
Two other board seats are up for their regularly scheduled elections as well. Aldermen Chris DeVore, West Ward, and Nick Lange, East Ward, have both filed to run for re-election.
Ahead of the election, Mayor Lange said the city is likely to appoint an interim alderman so that the board of aldermen can continue conducting business over the next few months. City code requires three aldermen to be present in order to conduct business. With Grafrath gone, having just one other member absent for any reason would mean the board couldn’t hold discussions or take any votes.
It falls to the mayor to nominate an interim alderman, and for the remaining board members to approve or deny that nomination.
During the board of aldermen’s Dec. 16 public meeting, Alderman Chris DeVore asked to discuss plans for the vacancy as part of the board’s business for the evening. Mayor Lange replied that he would instead discuss the matter in executive session, meaning the discussion would be closed to the public.
Prompted by a Record staff member, Lange said an interim alderman could be nominated and approved at the board’s January public meeting “or sooner.”
To find a nominee, Lange said he is canvassing community members, looking for someone willing to take the job.
Following that discussion with The Record, the board of aldermen went into closed session and members of the public departed. No further actions on the subject were taken that evening, according to the City Clerk’s Office.
