‍

The parking lot of the community building was full Tuesday evening as townspeople gathered for the first meeting of the year welcoming new town board members. 

Applause erupted from the audience after Marian McGee was voted in as town council president. Recognized by many from Millie McGee’s Gosport Diner, McGee then made a motion to approve Ernie Arnold as vice president of the board, and the motion was passed unanimously. 

Before the board assigned department heads, Town Clerk Donald Hall paused the meeting to get chairs for a wave of late arrivals. With the small room now full, Arnold became the new head of the water and sewer department, McGee took on the street department, and Michael Miller became the new head of the police and fire department. 

As the meeting progressed into water and sewer, Hall pointed out that the sewer rates had not been raised since February 2013. The issue of sewer rates not keeping up with inflation was added to the next meeting’s agenda. In the discussion of streets, McGee asked that gravel be used to fill potholes and was told that the town did indeed have gravel on hand. 

Brian Leonard spoke on behalf of the Gosport Volunteer Fire Department in regard to preparations for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, of which Gosport will be in the path of totality. Kimberly Baird, Gosport Business Association (GBA) president, requested permission to use the town park for an event put together by the GBA during the eclipse. McGee made the motion and it was passed unanimously. 

After discussion was tabled in regard to the salary ordinance and personnel policy, town board attorney, Terry English, notified the board of a lawsuit against the town clerk that was filed by English under direction of previous town council president, Gerald Lunsford, the weekend before New Year’s Day. 

The pending lawsuit against Hall involved resolving payment owed by the town of Gosport to town worker Matt Minnick for comp time.  After much discussion, Arnold made a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought forward by the previous board, and the motion was passed unanimously. 

The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Gosport Community Building, 301 N. 9th St., Gosport.