Live Oak — Our picks for the May 8 city of Live Oak election follow. Coming Friday, The Last Word. Candidates share their final thoughts on four questions posed by the editorial board of the Democrat. Early voting begins Monday.



Live Oak City Council


District 2

We recommend: Bennie Thomas. As the incumbent, Bennie Thomas seems passionate about city affairs and the folks of District 2. Bennie has served on various committees in the city and is eager to work for the city again.



District 3

We recommend: Quinn Skierski. We have seen his energy and enthusiasm and think he will be able to get in and represent District 3 well. Skierski has ideas and ways for the city to be better community partners. All this tied together with his business knowledge is something that has been desperately needed in this seat for quite sometime.



District 5

We have no recommendation for this race. There are some tough contenders for this race and we feel most are qualified.

In this race and all races we urge you to know what the candidate stands for and what his or her past actions are or what promised actions will be.



Live Oak Charter Proposed Amendments



We recommend voting ‘For’ on each proposed amendment to the city charter.



The amendments give too much power to one person in city government. Live Oak Mayor Sonny Nobles stated in this newspaper that your rights along with oversight and accountability in government are being threatened with the proposed amendments. We strongly disagree. City residents elected five council members to represent them. Nothing can be done without a majority of the council’s votes. The way the charter reads now allows the mayor to have too much veto power. It takes three people to suspend or appoint non-elected city officers. It takes one person to undo that. Vote “For” on the proposed amendments, listed below. The county doesn’t have a “mayor” that can veto your representatives actions. You hold the veto power.



City Charter Amendment One

Ballot language: “Removal of Mayor’s Power to Suspend City Officers, except Councilmen, for Misconduct or Neglect of Duty.”



City Charter Amendment Two

Ballot language: “Removal of Mayor’s Power of General Supervision Over all City Officers.”



City Charter Amendment Three

Ballot language: “Removal of Provision that Mayor Require All Ordinances of the City be Observed and Enforced.”



City Charter Amendment Four

Ballot language: “Impeachment of Elected City Officials for Misfeasance, Malfeasance or Habitual Intoxication and Procedure for Removal.”

This proposed amendment provides for the amendment of Section 10(G) “that provides for impeachment of Mayor be amended to provide that any elected City Official, including Mayor, may be impeached by the City Council” for the latter.



City Charter Amendment Five

Ballot language: “Special or Called Meeting to be Called by Mayor or President of City Council.”

Section 13 of the Charter would be amended to allow the council president and the mayor to call a special meeting of the city council.



City Charter Amendment Six

Ballot language: “Removal of Requirements that Appointment of Officers or Employees by City Council Require Mayor’s Approval.”



City Charter Amendment Seven

Ballot language: “Removal of Provisions for Appointment City Officers for term of Mayor and Council Appointing Them.”

Section 18 would be deleted which states that the mayor’s approval would be required on appointment of non-elected city officers by the council. Also to be deleted states that the “term of office of such officers shall be equal in time with the term of the mayor and the city council appointing them and which limits removal except for neglect of duty, insubordination, or misconduct in office.”



City Charter Amendment Eight

Ballot language: “Vacancies, Forfeiture of Office, Filling of Vacancies by Majority Vote of Council.”

Section 23 would be amended to specify that a councilman’s office should become vacant or forfeited should be filled by a majority vote of the council within 30 days or a special election be held.



City Charter Amendment Nine

Ballot language: “Removal of Requirement of Consent and Approval of Mayor for Council Appointment of City Attorney.”

This would amend Section 37 to removal mayor’s consent of council appointment of city attorney.