Rhodes to be sworn in Tuesday as Keyser mayor

By Richard Kerns
rkerns@newstribune.info
Tribune Staff Writer
KEYSER – The Keyser Mayor and City Council will meet Tuesday night for the installation of the new mayor and two council members who won seats in this month’s election.
William “Sonny” Rhodes will be sworn in as  mayor Keyser during the 4 p.m. ceremony at City Hall.
Also sworn in that afternoon will be Isaac “Sonny” Alt, who won re-election to a second term on the five-member council, and current Mayor Glen “Bunk” Shumaker, who stepped down as mayor to mount a successful campaign for the city council – on which he had served prior to becoming mayor.
The swearing-in ceremony will allow Rhodes – himself currently a council member — to officially start his mayoral duties with the July 1 beginning of his new term and the new fiscal year.
“I’m just looking forward to the new job,” Rhodes said Sunday. “I
 want to hit the ground running, and with this new council, I think we will.”
One of the first items on the new mayor’s agenda will be making an appointment to fill the seat that he is vacating on the council. Under the city charter, the mayor makes the nomination, which must be approved by a majority of the council.
That appointment is not expected to be made until the first official July meeting of the mayor and city council, currently scheduled for the afternoon of July 13. If the mayor and council can come to agreement on the nomination, the new council member would likely be sworn in at the second July meeting.
In considering nominees for the council seat, Rhodes said he is seeking someone new to city politics.
“I don’t want to divulge anything yet,” he said. “I’m just thinking of some new faces.”
That philosophy may also extend to several citizen advisory boards that are part of city government, and whose members are appointed by the mayor and council.
With those nominations also yet to be acted on, the city has canceled the monthly meetings of the Water, Sanitary and Recreating boards, which were slated to convene Wednesday afternoon. Rhodes said he hopes the boards will be able to meet later in July after their membership has been approved.