Councilman’s death leads to feud over replacement

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 | 11:28 a.m.

The death of popular Mesquite City Councilman Chuck Hackleman has led to a dispute over how he should be replaced on the council.

Hackleman, a retired federal accountant, died July 25 of a heart attack. He was 61.

Mayor Charles Horne said he has the exclusive right to nominate the replacement, with the council's consent. But City Manager Bryan Montgomery said the other four councilmen have the option to make nominations if the mayor's first choice receives no other votes.

The controversy over Hackleman's replacement comes at a time when the other council members have voiced clear philosophical differences with Horne about the future of the city.

"He's trying to develop a government within a government," Councilman Cresent Hardy said of Horne. "He wants everything to go through him."

Horne said his differences with council members are fairly basic.

"We've really only disagreed passionately over the law," Horne said. "I've insisted they follow the rules, but the rules haven't always been convenient for them."

Hardy said he would not support any of the losing council candidates who were part of the mayor's slate during the most recent election. The replacement will serve through June 2005.

"I'm hoping the mayor puts forth a name that I can support," Hardy said. "I'm hoping he puts forth someone who fills Mr. Hackleman's shoes, someone who has the same views as Mr. Hackleman."

Montgomery said Wednesday that the council is scheduled to appoint a replacement during its Aug. 14 meeting. Because Mesquite is not a charter city, Montgomery said it must follow a state statute that calls for the mayor and council to select a replacement by majority vote.

"What's unusual is that the mayor, who usually doesn't have a vote on the council, gets to have a vote on this," Montgomery said.

Horne's interpretation of the state law is that he can continue to make nominations until a candidate receives majority approval by the council.

"We're in the process of creating a list of candidates," Horne said. "It's going to be a long list."

Montgomery said a separate city ordinance gives councilmen the right to make nominations if Horne's first choice receives only the mayor's vote. Horne, however, questioned the legality of the ordinance and said the state law should take precedence.

Hackleman was initially appointed to the council last fall to replace Councilwoman Susan Cook after Cook resigned. Ironically, it was Horne who nominated Hackleman.

Hackleman then won a full four-year term during the June 5 municipal election, in which he was the highest vote-getter among all council candidates.

The state Ethics Commission ruled in favor of Hackleman and Hardy in June, when it determined that an opposition political committee published false statements about them leading up to the election. But, because Hackleman and Hardy won their races, the commission determined that the statements did not affect the outcome of the election.