The Argos Town Council will welcome a new council member when they meet next Wednesday.
When the Council met on the day before Thanksgiving, the resignation of vice president Dustin Johnson was announced. Clerk-Treasurer Lisa Mullaney said his reason for leaving the council is that he is moving out of the area and his resignation was submitted to her on Friday, November 16th.
Argos resident Shawn Harley reportedly informed Clerk-Treasurer Mullaney that he had an interest in serving on the Town Council. Since the resigning member was a Democrat, Mullaney alerted acting Democratic Party Chair Shiloh Milner that Harley was interested.
Milner reviewed Harley’s voting records to see if he has consistently voted Democrat in past elections. Once she found that he was in good standing, she appointed him to the position and Harley was officially sworn in by Marshall County Clerk Debbie VanDeMark on Wednesday, November 28th.
VanDeMark reported that all necessary paperwork was filed, including the declaration of candidacy, the statement of economic interest and the certification of appointment from the acting Democratic Party Chair.
Harley will serve out the remainder of Johnson’s town council term which runs until December 31, 2019. If he wishes to continue serving on the council, he will need to run in the next Town election.
Clerk-Treasurer Mullaney added that with these changes, there is a now an opening on the Argos Police Commission as well.
Dustin Johnson was previously serving as the Town’s liaison to the Police Commission and Shawn Harley was serving as acting president. Now that Harley is a council member, he will serve as the liaison and can no longer serve on the commission itself.
The new commission member should be from the same political party as Harley. However, if a Democrat does not apply, Mullaney said there is a state statute that would allow officials to appoint an interested individual from another party.
If you want to more information about serving as a member of the Police Commission, contact the Clerk’s Office at 574-892-5717.
