Sheldon, Iowa — One seat on the Sheldon City Council may be vacant once the current term of office ends.
Candidates for city office had until 5:00 Thursday afternoon to file nomination papers to get their name on the ballot for the November municipal election. In Sheldon, the two incumbent council members, Ward 2 Councilman Randy Fonkert, and At-Large Councilman Zach Sawyer, did not file papers for reelection to those seats. Tom Eggert of Sheldon filed nomination papers to run for Sawyer’s At-Large seat, but noone stepped up to seek the Ward 2 seat being vacated by Fonkert.
O’Brien County Auditor Barb Rohwer says that a seat for which no one has filed nomination papers can be won by a write-in campaign. However, she says that if there is no write-in candidate for Sheldon’s 2nd Ward seat, the position would be declared vacant. At that point, the Sheldon City Council would have to appoint someone to fill that vacant position, providing they had a quorum available to vote on the appointment. Sheldon’s 2nd Ward is bordered by Western Avenue on the west, Washington Avenue on the east, 8th Street on the south, and the City limits on the north.
The third Sheldon city government position on the ballot this November will be for the Mayor’s office. Incumbent Mayor Katricia Meendering filed papers Thursday to seek reelection to that post.
Original story posted Thursday, 9/21/17 – 5:01 pm
Sheldon, Iowa — Thursday’s 5:00 pm filing deadline to run for city offices in Iowa has come and gone, and we now know who will have their names on the ballot from Sheldon in the November municipal elections.
Sheldon City Clerk Angie Beckman says incumbent Sheldon Mayor Katricia Meendering has filed papers for reelection. There are two Sheldon City Council seats that are up for election this November, and neither incumbent appears to be seeking reelection. Neither Ward 2 Councilman Randy Fonkert, nor At-Large Councilman Zach Sawyer filed nomination papers to seek another term on the council.
One person has filed for the At-Large seat currently occupied by Sawyer. Beckman says Tom Eggers has filed nomination papers to seek that position. She say there were NO candidates filing for Fonkert’s Ward 2 seat.
The municipal elections will be held Tuesday, November 7th this year.