“Candidates may begin to qualify after the mayor gives the notice of election,” said Penny Isbell, acting city clerk for Pell City.
She said the mayor will give notice the first Tuesday of July, which is July 3.
“We’ll have packets set up for candidates,” Isbell said.
She said voters will decide the next mayor, council and Board of Education members at the Aug. 28 election.
Isbell said the final date a candidate can qualify is by 5 p.m., on the third Tuesday of July, or July 17, two weeks after qualifying begins.
She said the new mayor and council will have an organizational meeting when they first take office in November.
Isbell said at the meeting, the mayor and council will appoint committees, department heads and elect the new council president the first Monday in November, which is Nov. 5.
She said if there is a need for a runoff, it is set for Oct. 9.
Isbell said if there are more than two candidates seeking the same office, one candidate must receive 50 percent of the vote plus one more vote to win the office seat without a runoff.
According to the Alabama League of Municipalities Special Report, prepared for 2012 municipal elections, candidates must live in the city, ward or district prior to the election to qualify for a municipal office.
“In order to be a qualified elector of the municipality, a person must have resided within the municipality for at least 30 days prior to the election,” the report states. “Additionally, all candidates must have been residents of the municipality for at least 90 days prior to the election and be a qualified elector at the time of filing of the statement of candidacy. … Similarly, candidates for election from wards must have been a resident of the ward they seek to serve for at least 90 days prior to the election.”
After this election, Pell City’s form of government is changing from a mayor and council form of government to a mayor, council and city manager.
In recent months, the council voted to establish a city manager position so a professional administrator could run the day-to-day operations of the city.
Because it established the city manager position, the council also voted to lower the salary for the mayor to $15,000 a year. The current mayor’s annual salary is $55,000, but the new mayor’s salary will be $15,000, whether or not the current mayor and council hire a city manager.
The new mayor will also receive $1,200 a month as head of the Utility Department.
Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.
