Residents of Statesboro’s District 1 will have yet another decision to make on Nov. 6.
Besides choosing the president, 12th Congressional District representative and state legislators, these voters also will choose someone to succeed Tommy Blitch, who recently resigned, citing health reasons.
Statesboro City Council voted Friday morning during a called meeting to call the special election.
Qualifying for potential candidates will be held during a three-day period later this month. Residents can qualify for the election by visiting City Hall on Sept. 19 and 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sept. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Whoever wins the election will serve the rest of Blitch’s unexpired term. The next four-year election for the District 1 seat is scheduled for November 2013.
Earlier this week, there had been confusion about exactly when Blitch’s resignation would take effect, leading to an announcement by Mayor Joe Brannen that the council seat would remain empty until a special election in March.
But at council’s regular meeting, held Wednesday, councilmen agreed – and got confirmation from the 80-year-old Blitch – that his resignation was effective immediately, not until the end of the month.
That cleared the way for the special meeting Friday and calling the special election.
Blitch initially announced his resignation at the Aug. 21 council meeting in a letter with that same date.
“It has truly been my honor to serve you as an elected councilman. I am sorry that I will not be able to fulfill my current term due to health concerns,” he wrote. “It has been a pleasure to represent Statesboro for almost 12 years. This is a tough decision and I hate to do it, but at the same time, I feel like stepping down is the best thing for the city and myself.”
While some city personnel interpreted the letter as notice of an immediate resignation, others believed the councilman would continue attending meetings until his health absolutely prohibited it.
In conversations with Blitch, Brannen believed the District 1 representative would continue serving through September.
Statements by the mayor expressing that thought prompted Councilman Travis Chance, who believed the resignation was official, and is adamant about giving residents a chance to choose a new councilman before the year’s end, to speak up during Wednesday’s meeting.