BLOOMFIELD MAYOR, ALDERMAN CALL IT QUITS

BLOOMFIELD -- Only two months after taking the oath of office,

Bloomfield Mayor Luther Burns has resigned, saying his job will prevent from adequately serving the residents of the county seat municipality.

Burns' resignation came only moments Tuesday night after the board accepted the resignation of Alderman David Norden.

Norden, who also held the post of president pro tem of the board -- the second-in-command to the mayor -- moved from Bloomfield to Poplar Bluff in recent weeks and was forced to give up his seat.

Aldermen Don Harper, Ron Williams and Tony Thorn quickly approved Burns recommendation that Tom Milner be appointed to Norden's seat until the April election. Milner has found himself in a similar position in years past, city officials said.

Then Burns submitted his resignation, effective immediately.

"I hate to do it," he said, "but I'm going to be out of town quite a bit. Bloomfield needs a mayor who can spend quite a lot of time here."

The board did not take action Tuesday night regarding the mayoral post.

The panel agreed to ask Milner to step in and serve as mayor pro tem.