From left, Sweet Springs Mayor Roxanne Hinton welcomes Jim Lindemann to the board. Lindemann was appointed to fill the remaining weeks of long-time Alderman Derl Bernard, who died Feb. 28. Lindemann was also elected president of the board. In the chair next to Hinton is a jacket of Bernard's, there to honor his memory. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

The former Sweet Springs alderman, who had filed to run for a seat on the board in the April election, found himself appointed to the post early after Alderman Derl Bernard's death Feb. 28 left the board with just enough members to make its quorum.

At a special meeting Thursday, Mayor Roxanne Hinton nominated Lindemann to serve out the last few weeks of Bernard's term.

"We definitely want to remember (Bernard)," she said. "He played a big role in the community."

Bernard had served as alderman or mayor for much of the past 50 years.

But the board has had some difficult holding meetings in recent months because of poor health of two members and Hinton said she thought it was important for the board to be able to conduct the business of the city.

In nominating Lindemann, she acknowledged implicitly that not everyone in the community agrees.

She said the appointment does not in any way affect the election. Bernard's name will remain on the ballot.

"People can still vote however they want to vote," she said. "If they don't approve of what I've done, they can let me know when they vote."

After Lindemann was sworn in, Alderman Lewis Bybee nominated him to be president of the board, a role Bernard had played.

"I just got here," Lindemann said.

"But you've got experience. You've been here before," Bybee said.

The board approved Bybee's nomination by a vote of two to one, the same margin they had approved Lindemann's appointment to the board.

Alderman Billie Clevenger cast the dissenting vote in both cases.

After the meeting she said she had nothing personally against Lindemann, but she had heard from constituents who were not in favor of his appointment.

"I have to do what the people want," she said.

She said she agreed that in deference to Bernard's memory, it would have been more appropriate to leave his seat vacant until after the April 8 election.

Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net