By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

Town Council of White Hall finds itself having to replace a second council member in recent weeks, as well as a town clerk.

In a special called meeting held Thursday, May 30, the council filled the vacant seat of Council member Moses A. Bandy with the appointment of Glenn Mallard.

At its regular council meeting held Thursday, June 6, the council, accepted the resignation of Council member Walter Bates effective May 30. Additionally, Mayor James Walker announced the resignation of Town Clerk Bertha White. White told the Signal is effective July 1.

Bandy told the Signal that his resignation was due to his health and the stress of dealing with an ill family member. His brother, John Bandy, recently passed away.

Bandy said he had served on the council for 29 years, but would leave the town with the thought “that if they need me for some reason, I would be glad to help them out.”

Bates and Council member Audrey Peterson declined to cast a vote on the motion to fill Bandy’s seat with Mallard.

“I don’t think we are in line with what we discussed at the last meeting,” Bates said at the time.

When contacted for comment regarding his own resignation, Bates said, “There was a difference of opinion” regarding the way Bandy’s seat was filled. He said names should have been passed around and the council given time to review them. He also said the mayor also needed to “confer with the council more.”

Bates said other council members went along with mayor and that he had no personal problems with Mallard. “It’s done, and you know I said, well it’s time for me to move along,” Bates said.

Walker declared the seat held by Bates vacant and said, “We will go through the proper procedure in replacing Councilman Bates.”

Walker also announced that the town council would redo the procedure for hiring a town clerk at the end of this month in light of the resignation of Town Clerk Bertha White.

He said the position will be advertised and applications taken.

White said she tendered her resignation effective July 1 because Mayor Walker “doesn’t want to work with us.” She also said he “comes in and takes everything out of here, works out of his home with it, and it’s not right.”

When asked if he cared to comment on the resignations of Bates and White, Walker declined.

In another matter, Walker recommended the July 4 regular meeting be rescheduled for Tuesday, July 2, which was approved.

Part-time Police Chief Tony M. Bufford reported the White Hall Police Department received eight calls in the month of May including two alarms, one escort, three incident and offense reports, one accident and one suspicious person call.

Walker announced that the town’s court system is in place with first court date set for June 18 at 6 p.m. in the town hall auditorium.

He also discussed an ordinance regulating the removal of junk motor vehicles and other obsolete inoperable equipment.

Walker agreed to meet with the White Hall Library Board regarding a decision that the town would no longer pay the library’s water bill.

Former Mayor Elizabeth Davis, who serves as president of the library board, appeared before the council to request reconsideration of that decision calling the library a part of the city.

Walker said the town was in the process of establishing a water board and that each council member will be asked to recommend members of the board.

“I will be glad to sit down with the library board,” Walker said.

Walker also said in the future if the town’s water has to be cut off for any length of time for repairs, it would be announced.

He explained there had been a situation where there was no cutoff valve for a particular area and the entire line had to be cut off.

Prior to Thursday’s council meeting Walker announced that unless citizens had filed with the town clerk, no comments would be taken.