The New Village of South Jacksonville Board of Trustees met for it’s first regular meeting last night.
New Board President Tyson Manker, Village Clerk Krystin Hill, and Trustee Stacy Pinkerton were the new faces sworn in last night, with appointed incumbent Meggan Werries-Davidson and incumbent Paula Belobrajdic-Stewart also swearing-in for new terms.
During approval of the meeting agenda, new Trustee Pinkerton moved to table the approval of a tourism grant for the Jacksonville Speedway for further discussion in committee.
Pinkerton said that the village had given money to the track in the past and she wanted to see proof that it provided tourism income for the village, saying that she didn’t believe the races provided much revenue. Her motion to table the action item died due to a lack of a second, and the grant passed with Pinkerton being the lone no vote.
Board President Manker issued a veto of the Board’s amendment to the Personnel Ordinance approved by the Board during the special meeting held on April 22nd. The ordinance originally read that all new hires in the village were to be approved by consent of the Board of Trustees, however, dismissal of Village personnel was at the sole discretion of the Board President.
The Board voted during the special meeting to modify the ordinance to require both hiring and dismissal of Village personnel to require Board of Trustee approval. Manker says the modification of the ordinance violates the constitutional right of the residents to change or alter the village’s form of government by referendum.
“The measure by the Board is unconstitutional. This is clear law that goes back almost fifty years. If the Board of Trustees wants to act as the chief executive officer, they should run to be the next mayor. The proper way of going about something like that is not changing the rules and stripping my ability to hire the people that I think are going to do the job, in the eleventh hour, which is exactly what has happened.
So the last mayor on his way out passed an ordinance that stripped the mayor of the ability to hire his own people. I don’t think that’s right, and in fact, the law says it’s unconstitutional. So, I got rid of it.”
In other business conducted during the meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the Motor Fuel Tax Program for 2021, a tourism grant for Jacksonville Main Street, and a new image for the Village’s billboard on South Main Street.
The board tabled the Colony South shopping center’s requested rezoning to comply with the required signage notifying the request being posted on the property for a minimum of ten days. The Board also approved a new ordinance declaring the west side of Holiday Drive a no parking zone.
Under new business, Manker said he will soon be issuing a ban on the use of tobacco products in Village Hall and on all village property. Manker said he had already informed the board and all employees of the ban, which he says is to include smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaporizers.