However, Forest Park City Manager John Parker emphasized repeatedly last week the issue of a special election won’t be official until the council declares these vacancies at its Feb. 4 meeting.
If the vacancies are declared, the city would vote to fill its mayoral post which became vacant last fall when Mayor Corine Deyton officially retired.
Accoridng to Parker, Forest Partk City Council member Sparkle Adams has expressed her interest in seeking the mayor’s post and, if she does officially declare her candidacy, she would resign her council seat on or before Feb. 1, three days before the council meets to declare the vacancies, which would then include Adams former council seat.
“That is the tentative plan now,” Parker said. “If the vacancies are declared and election called for, qualifying would be held at Forest Park City Hall Feb.11-15 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day with the exception of a lunch period, likely from noon to 1 p.m.”
If Adams does resign, that would leave the Forest Park council with two council seats vacant, the other being for Ward 2, the former seat of Karen Brandee Williams who was ousted from the council last July. Williams is appealing her ouster in Clayton County Superior Court.
Her appeal is presently before Clayton County Superior Court Judge Deborah Benefield.
However, the Ward 2 seat would not be on the March 19 ballot because the city has not received a court decision for it.
“When Judge Benefield issues her decision for the Ward 2 post, there still would be a 30-day period in which any appeal of the decision could be brought before the court,” Parker said.
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