Christman accepts job opportunity, resigns position on Price council

By Sun Advocate

Price Councilman Joe Christman has resigned from city office effective Oct. 31, leaving an available seat for appointment.
Christman, who was elected in November 2003, had served in the position since January 2004. His resignation was the result of a job opportunity that will take him out of the state beginning in 2005.
According to Christman, he resigned a few months prior to his job change to ensure that the council could get a new member in place before the start of the new year. His involvement with the council was positive and he enjoyed having the opportunity to serve.
“It was a fantastic experience,” commented Christman. “I would encourage more people to get involved.”
Getting involved in local government is the best way for citizens to assure the success of a community, noted Christman. But being on the council isn’t the only way to participate.
“You don’t have to be on the council to have a say,” pointed out Christman. “Just show up at the council meetings.”
Price Mayor Joe Piccolo said the council will miss Christman’s presence on the panel, but that the group was excited for him and his new job opportunity.
“I think Joe fit in with our council very well and it’s sad to see him go,” noted Piccolo. “He’s a very bright individual and he was a good asset for Price city.”
When a council member resigns, the opening is treated as a Price city position and residents must apply to fill the vacancy. According to Piccolo, applications will go through a screening process until the right candidate for the position is found.
The appointed council member will then be required to run in the next general election, which will take place in 2005. If the 2005 election is not the regular period when the council seat would normally come up, the new council member must also run when the seat is normally due for election. City council chairs are elected every four years.
Piccolo said he expects the city will receive a lot of applications for the open chair based on the political fervor that has resulted from last week’s elections.
Price City has five council chairs. Two council members, Jeanne McEvoy and Richard Tatton, were appointed to the council when a seat was resigned. McEvoy was elected to the council in 2003 and Tatton was sworn in as an elected member of the council in 1999.
Betty Wheeler has been on the council since 1995 and Stephen Denison was elected in 1996. Each council member fulfills a different responsibility with the city. The appointee who replaces Christman would assume responsibility over streets and maintenance policy, fleet management policy, water and refuse management policy, customer service policy, parks and cemetery policy and information systems policy. The chair member would also serve on the Carbon County Emergency Management committee, the gun range committee and would be the International Days chairman elect.
The other council member’s responsibilities are as follows:
�Betty Wheeler, drinking water policy, PRWID Board Member, Price City youth council, historic preservation policy, engineering policy, community progress board,
CEU planning commission, group insurance benefits policy and personnel committee;
�Stephen L. Denison, city emergency preparedness policy, nuisance abatement policy, weeds and mosquitoes, Carbon County travel board, CCRIC board, museum/gallery policy, downtown business revitalization policy, storm water policy, cultural/heritage committee and International Days immediate past chair;
�Richard Tatton, water quality reclamation policy, library board, physical facilities policy, ditch companies policy, recreation board, public risk management policy, volunteer team development policy, public utilities advisory board and personnel committee;
�Jeanne McEvoy, planning and zoning board, power and light policy, shade tree commission, swimming pool policy, city risk management committee, public works policy, Chamber of Commerce committee, International Days chair.
Mayor Piccolo’s responsibilities include overseeing budget and finance, economic development, city recorder, human resources, Chamber of Commerce agent, boards and commissions, treasurer, redevelopment agencies, committees, police safety, community action team, southeastern Utah Local Association of Governments, community safety, building inspection and the fire marshal, mayor’s council, Council on Aging, Legislative Liaison, volunteers and the fire department.
Approval to post the new council chair position will likely be given in tomorrow’s regular meeting of the Price City Council.