By Tyler Pruett

tyler@southerntorch.com

SYLVANIA, Ala.— On Thursday, January 7th, the Sylvania City Council held a special meeting to discuss departmental responsibilities for each council member. At this meeting, Sylvania Mayor Emily Wooten announced that she would be resigning. Reading a resignation letter aloud, Mayor Wooten cited, “events that have taken place in my family life and not one related to town business.” This left councilman Gerald Craig to serve as Sylvania mayor pro tem until the regularly scheduled council meeting on Jan. 19, 2016.

While no definitive plans have been announced to fill the mayor’s position thus far, according to Section 11-43-42, Code of Alabama 1975, the council can fill the vacancy from its own ranks, or from outside the council. The only requirement is that this individual must meet all the qualifications prescribed for the office of mayor and that the vacancy be filled no sooner than a week after the vacancy is announced.

Wooten also stated in her resignation that she regrets, “that I cannot finish the term in which I was elected by the fine citizens of Sylvania.” She also expressed pride in her accomplishments during her term, which included recently receiving a grant from the state for repairs to their aging sewer system.

During the the remainder of the meeting, department assignments were made to each council member. Larry Bailey was assigned duties to the police department, Cal Deemer to Parks, Kimberly Roberts to Fire, and Dana Kling to Public Works. More information on the mayor’s replacement should be available at the following council meeting.