By Bev Pechan
At the May 6 Keystone Town Board meeting, seated board members were Nikki Ball, Gideon Oakes, Kwinn Neff, outgoing president David Cofoid and Cathy Madison.
In early April, former board member Sandi McLain regained her seat on the board during the annual election. Challenger Cathy Madison as runner-up was later appointed by the board and sworn into office by city attorney Mitch Johnson to fill a second vacant term, which had no candidates and was held by trustee Dick Drummond who resigned several weeks prior due to health reasons.
At that time and before the election, the board did not appoint anyone to fill Drummonds’ vacancy, leaving the city’s board of five trustees one chair short until Madison — also a former board member — was appointed as the fifth person on the panel after she lost the regular election to McLain. At last week’s meeting, McLain was sworn in as trustee and Cofoid stepped down after serving several years. Nikki Ball was appointed the current president.
Neff, who had approved Madison’s appointment at the April 15 meeting, made a motion, seconded by Cofoid, to rescind Madison’s appointment and oath of office to discuss the matter in more detail and to “set the process” for the future.
Johnson stated it was inappropriate to rescind an approved motion in such a matter and that naming Madison to the vacant seat was a legal and proper procedure. Neff countered with the argument that the appointment was not on the agenda as recommended by the South Dakota Municipal League and therefore should be abolished. Lengthy discussion followed with audience participation and the motion ultimately did not pass.
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