Sikeston selects charter

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Voters overwhelmingly approved a home-rule system of government here Tuesday, turning Sikeston into the 37th charter city in Missouri.

They also decided to elect their own mayor to a three-year term rather than have city council members appoint one of their own members to serve for a year.

With 63 percent of the vote tallied, the home-rule charter passed with ease, 1,314 to 781. Those numbers did not include one Sikeston precinct in New Madrid County.

The question of whether the mayor would be selected by popular vote or by the city council was closer, 58 percent to 42 percent, with 1,239 votes to 892.

Current city council members opposed electing the mayor to a three-year term saying it would be difficult to find anyone who wanted to serve that long.

Sikeston's council is composed of five members who elect the mayor from their membership to a one-year term. That will change with the charter's passage.

Now the council will increase to seven members, with four elected from wards and three elected at-large.

As a home-rule city, Sikeston will be able to write its own laws, rather than solely be governed by Missouri statutes.

Outgoing mayor Jerry Pullen opposed both the new charter and at-large election of the mayor.

He said Tuesday that he respects the voters' wishes. "The existing council and myself will work hard making sure the wards are put together right," Pullen said.

The first elections under the ward system will be in April 2003; at that time a new council member and mayor will be elected.

Charter commission chairman Harry Sharp said he expects to be there as watchdog.

City councilman Phil Boyer was re-elected to a three-year term with 1,555 votes while newcomer Sue Rogers won a two-year term with 1,231 votes.

Under the current system, Boyer, as vice mayor, will be appointed by fellow council members as mayor for the next year.

New councilwoman Rogers said she favored both the charter and election of the mayor by popular vote.

"I'm so excited about the charter," Rogers said. "It's a new era."

A year ago, Sikeston voters approved the city drafting a charter. They elected 13 people to serve as commissioners.

Charter commissioner Jim Schwaninger said he was pleased with the results because it meant the public had paid attention to the process.

"The worst thing that could have happened would have been to go through this enormous governmental change and nobody notice," he said.

Retiree James Terrell started the petition drive that prompted the city council to put the issue to a vote.

So confident of the charter's passage, he stayed home Tuesday night while others gathered anxiously in the halls of the Scott County courthouse in Benton.

Contacted after the measure passed, he said, "I knew it."

abuchanan@semissourian.com

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