23-year-old woman picked to fill vacant Poplar Bluff Council seat

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The second-youngest member in the history of the Poplar Bluff City Council was unanimously named Monday to fill a vacant at-large council seat.

Jerrica Fox, 23, will serve the eight months remaining before the next regular election, after a 6-0 vote of the council. Fox replaces Dr. Jack Rushin, who resigned in July amid accusations of nepotism.

Fox was nominated by council member Ed DeGaris. She was sworn in at the end of the council meeting.

The first nomination for candidate Jim Chrisman failed 3-3.

The nomination for Chrisman came from council member Angela Pearson. Pearson, mayor pro tem David Johnson and Peter Tinsley voted for the measure, with Mayor Betty Absheer, DeGaris and Philip Crocker against it.

Johnson and Tinsley asked before the nominations whether they would be allowed to vote for more than one candidate and what would happen if no one was appointed.

Candidates needed a minimum four votes to win the spot, city clerk Pam Kearbey said. Voting had to be done in order of nominations. If no one received four votes, the position would remain open until the next regular election.

Fox will serve until April, when the candidates can file again for the position. The person elected would fill the one year remaining on Rushin's term.

Fox is an employee of First Midwest Bank and granddaughter of late Butler County collector Brenda Fox.

She said her grandmother instilled in her a sense of duty and desire to give back to the community.

Fox said her first action as a council member will be to begin planning town-hall meetings with Johnson, the other at-large council member. Fox also wants to use her education and experience in finance to help the city and to improve the image and finances of Black River Coliseum.

Fox plans to run in the April election, as does former council member Susan McVey, who withdrew her name Monday morning from the list of candidates.

McVey said she was concerned the council would be unable to get the four votes needed to fill the spot and hoped her withdrawal would help the body reach a decision.

Other applicants for the position were Todd Sittig, an engineer at Mathis and Associates, and Austin Sutton, an employee of Bob Sutton Real Estate and Loans.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, Mo.