New ward boundaries, codes on Sikeston's agenda

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Unless the home-rule charter is amended in the future, Phil Boyer will be the last mayor selected by his fellow council members.

And now charter commissioners are only "commentators, not actors," said Harry Sharp, who served as chairman of the commission. "Our task has been completed, and our commission has closed and gone away."

Sharp said that according to the charter, it is the city council's job to establish ward boundaries. Wards must be set by early October, readying the city for the April 2003 election.

"Along the same time frame a new administrative code will be adopted by ordinance and a new personnel code," said Sharp, who expects no significant changes.

"It is more of a housekeeping thing," Sharp said. "The current codes are written to comply with the rules of a third-class city, and we're no longer a third-class city."

The council will have three years to bring all the other existing city ordinances and resolutions into line with the charter.

The next milestone for the transition to the new government will be election of the mayor and the first two ward representatives. "We become a seven-person council in 2003," Sharp said.

"Next April, Mike Marshall's at-large term expires and that seat goes away," said Sharp. "Coming into being next April will be an at-large mayor position and two wards."

In addition to the mayor, there will still be four at-large seats on the council at that time with Jerry Pullen and Michael Harris each having one year remaining in their terms.

However ward boundaries are defined, charter commissioners figured there was no way Pullen and Harris could end up in the same ward as they currently live so far apart. Based on this, the first ward representative elections will be for the other two wards in which Pullen and Harris do not live.

"That way we ensure representation from every corner of the city in 2003," said Sharp.

As for amendments to the charter, Sharp said the city council can place them on the ballot now but citizens will have to wait until after April before they are able to circulate an amendment petition for the first time.