Goshen mayor resigns

FAYETTEVILLE — Goshen Mayor Cathy Oliver has resigned from office, leaving the City Council to decide how to choose her replacement.

Oliver resigned as mayor in an April 9 letter to the City Council and “the citizens of Goshen.” She said her resignation was prompted by the stress caused by working a full-time job while also handling the duties of mayor.

“It is with mixed feeling that I am handing in my resignation effective immediately,” Oliver said in the letter. “Covid-19 has brought enormous stress into my life juggling a full time insurance job with what I thought was a part time mayor job.”

Oliver is a property and casualty insurance agent. She didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment Monday.

Oliver was elected mayor in 2018 after a runoff election. Jennifer Price, election director for Washington County, said Oliver finished second in a three-way race for mayor at the Nov. 6, 2018, general election. Zeb Rone received 293 votes in the general election, Oliver received 268 votes and Russell Stroud received 247 votes. In the Dec. 4, 2018, runoff election, Oliver received 271 votes and Rone received 152 votes. Oliver’s term runs through Dec. 31, 2022.

Lora Nanak, office manager and accounting manager for the city, said the City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. today with Oliver’s resignation being the only item on the agenda. The meeting will be by the Zoom videoconferencing app, and information on joining the meeting is available from the city. Goshen City Hall will also be open for people who want to view the meeting on Zoom from that location.

According to information from Lanny Richmond, legal counsel with the Arkansas Municipal League, when there’s a vacancy in the office of mayor of a city of the second class such as Goshen, the city council shall fill a vacancy in the mayor’s office for the unexpired term by either a majority vote of the aldermen or a special election.

Arkansas law defines a city of the second class as one with a population of more than 500 and less than 2,500. Goshen had a population of 1,071 at the 2010 census and an estimated population of 1,879 in 2018, according to information from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Price said a special election could not be held before July 14 in order to meet the requirements for public notice and to provide a filing period for candidates. She estimated a special election would cost the city from $4,000 to $5,000.

Oliver