Mayor pro tem resignation on upcoming Council agenda
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

KYLE SMITH

El Campo Mayor Pro Tem Kyle Smith has announced his intention to resign from City Council effective Tuesday.

And with that resignation, the city of El Campo may be in a legal bind.

The City Charter, its governing document, requires a vacant Council position be filled via a special election - one which must be held within 120 days of a resignation.

The state of Texas, however, only allows municipalities to hold elections in November or May - both of which violate the 120-day requirement.

The Charter does not allow for appointments.

Smith, 50, has served on City Council since 2002.

Professionally, he is the operations manager at Greenleaf Nursery in Danevang where he's worked since 2003. Smith is reportedly taking a new position as a director with the Coastal Plains Small Business Development Center and feels he can no longer serve.

He was a store director at H-E-B in several cities, worked for the El Campo Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and general manager at Cardell Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry for 10 years.

The Leader-News could not reach Smith for comment prior to presstime.

El Campo City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in chambers, 315 E. Jackson. The meeting is open to the public with time specifically designated for citizen comments.

In other items before Council: • Council will consider moving their January and February meetings from the second and fourth Tuesday's to the second and fourth Monday's to accommodate Mayor Phillip Spenrath.

Spenrath coaches the El Campo High School boys varsity basketball team which has games scheduled on Tuesdays during those months.

• The city of El Campo has received its compliance notification from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. All concerns at the city's waste water treatment plant have been corrected.

• The quarterly investment report is anticipated.