New mayor pro tem old hand at job
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Shannon Crabtree Promise To Serve El Campo City Councilman Kenneth Martin, left, took the oath of office Tuesday as the new mayor pro tem as administered by City Attorney Ronny Collins. He replaces Kyle Smith, who resigned for employment reasons. Martin is a former El Campo mayor who was replaced by current Mayor Philip Spenrath.

Former El Campo Mayor Kenneth Martin was voted into the second chair on City Council Tuesday night.

Replacing Kyle Smith as Mayor Pro Tem, Martin will now serve as the presiding City Council officer whenever Mayor Philip Spenrath is unavailable.

Smith resigned his position on Council late month to take a job with the Small Business Development Center.

That Council seat will remain vacant until May.

As Mayor Spenrath opened the floor for nominations, Councilwoman Gloria Harris, the senior office holder, captured the floor.

"I'd like to remind present Council ... of a gentleman's agreement - a pact we had - that the mayor and mayor pro tem would come from an at-large position, one that everybody voted on," Harris said.

Smith had been an at-large representative on Council. The other two are Spenrath and Martin.

While she acknowledged the City Council tradition of leadership coming from the at-large posts wasn't a requirement, Harris urged her fellow citizen representatives to consider it.

And that said, Harris nominated Martin for the post. No other names were set forth.

Martin was unanimously confirmed as the mayor pro tem of the El Campo Council.

City Attorney Ronny Collins then delivered the oath of office.

Martin served 10 years on City Council - two terms as mayor - before sitting out one term as the result of term limits. He then returned to Council in 2006 and was selected as mayor again.

Spenrath defeated him for the mayoral post in May in a 5- 2 vote with Harris and Martin against. Spenrath is the only freshman representative to hold the post.

Neither the El Campo mayor nor mayor pro tem is chosen by the citizenry. Instead, they are selected by their Council peers.

All at-large representatives will face re-election in May.