After resignations, Muncie City Council will be a majority appointed board in 2023

A Muncie City Council member has announced his resignation this week – the fifth such announcement for this current council.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, January will see an elected board with a majority of appointed members.

Republican District 4 councilman Brad Polk is leaving the Muncie City Council after 15 years.  He’s been appointed to fill the vacancy for Delaware County treasurer next year.  He says his resignation is effective December 31.

“I would also like to ask the council to continue to put differences and future political aspirations aside, like we’ve done over the last three years, for the good of Muncie and our citizens.”

When his replacement is appointed, five of the nine members of the current city council will be different than the people elected in 2019. Since then, two resigned to take other local political posts – deputy mayor and county treasurer. Two resigned because they said new jobs were too demanding to serve on the council. One member retired.

City council seats are up for election again next year.

Replacement members on city councils are appointed by political party precinct committeepersons.  County voters elect them during county primary elections. In Delaware County’s last primary, 14 percent of registered voters cast a ballot.

This month, Delaware County Republicans are also replacing an at-large county council seat.  Former council president Scott Alexander won his state senate bid in November. He’ll be replaced by local farmer Eugene Whitehead.