Scott County Drainage Board elects Jonathan Abbott as president; vice president nominated

The Scott County Drainage Board on Jan. 15, 2026, elected Jonathan Abbott president for 2026 after board members nominated and approved him by voice vote.

The result followed Speaker 2’s motion, “I’ll make a motion to make Jonathan Abbott president,” which was seconded and carried on a voice vote. The board also addressed leadership changes after Speaker 1 said the president and vice president were unable to attend and that he had been asked to run the meeting.

Why it matters: leadership determines who runs meetings and coordinates site inspections and follow-up on drainage matters. The board clarified that Everett Huntley will remain a board member but does not wish to serve as president because he cannot attend meetings and perform site visits.

During the same session, the board nominated Mr. Donner for vice president. Speaker 1 nominated “mister Donner,” and Speaker 2 seconded; the nomination was approved on a voice vote. The transcript records the nomination as “Mr. Donner” without a first name; the board did not record a formal roll-call tally in the meeting transcript.

Board composition and voting: Speaker 1 and other members discussed current membership levels. The transcript indicates six members were present and that one seat is vacant after “Billy” vacated his position and John Harden was appointed to that seat. The board also discussed whether Mark Gardner votes routinely; Speaker 1 described Mark as more advisory and said he “doesn’t vote unless it’s a tie or something,” and the board agreed to seek formal clarification on his voting status.

What happens next: the board did not schedule a follow-up vote on officer roles during the meeting; procedural confirmations and any required paperwork for the newly elected officers were not recorded in the transcript.