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Council member resigns after dispute over disincorporation petition; affidavit to governor planned
Summary
Council Member Dennis Holden said signing or publicly supporting a petition to disincorporate could violate a council member's oath; after he pressed the issue and suggested resignation, Council Member Tal Babcock submitted a written resignation at the meeting.
During new business, Council Member Dennis Holden raised concerns about a recently circulated petition advocating disincorporation, saying he did not believe council members were elected to pursue disincorporation and that signing or publicly supporting such a petition could violate a council member's oath of office.
Holden told the council he would prepare an affidavit documenting his concerns and planned to forward it to the Governor for determination. He asked Council Member Tal Babcock to consider resigning because of Babcock's involvement with the petition.
Babcock said he did not feel he had done anything wrong sufficient to justify resigning. Shortly afterward, however, Babcock presented a written resignation to the council, which the minutes record without additional procedural action at that meeting.
The minutes do not include the petition text, the legal basis for Holden's assertion, or a council vote on the resignation; Holden said he would file an affidavit with the Governor but the minutes do not report any further legal or administrative follow‑up.
