News

Bottineau alderman resigns from council

By Scott Wagar

11/20/2012

Alderman Troy Marsden has resigned from Bottineau’s City Council, but did not give an explanation as to why he is not going to complete the year and a half remaining in his term.  

On November 13, Marsden officially handed over a letter of resignation to Mayor Ben Aufforth, but didn’t state his reason(s) for stepping down.

“I wish to inform the Mayor and City Council that I have decided to resign as a councilman,” Marsden wrote in his resignation letter. “It’s been a privilege to serve on the City Council for the past six and a half years, but it is time to call it quits.”

Marsden was elected to Bottineau’s Ward III in 2006 and has served on a number of committees, including the street, city property, police, planning airport authority and Gateway committees.

He also assisted in bringing curb, gutter and pavement into the city; new developments and new businesses, along with a variety of other accomplishments.

Marsden will officially remain a city council member until the council votes on the issues on Dec. 3.

If the council accepts Marsden’s resignation, and declares his seat vacant, residents in the city will have 15 days to call for an all city special election.
If no one calls for a special city election, Bottineau’s mayor can appoint a city member or leave the seat open until the next city election in June of 2014.

If residents do not approve of the appointment, they will have 15 days from the appointment to call for a special recall election of the appointee.

Individuals, who want to run for a vacant seat must fill out a petition and receive five percent of the total vote cast in the last city election, which was June of 2012.

With Marsden leaving the council this past week, and Roger Nelson’s letter of resignation on the council due to health issues being approved by the council on Nov. 5, there are currently two vacant seats on the council at the present moment.