Incumbent Eastman District 5 City Councilman David Rawlins will be able to run for the seat in the November 3 election.
Eastman Election Superintendent Bea Edge wrote in an order dated October 16, 2009, “I therefore conclude and so order that (David Rawlins) is not disqualified from running for re-election to his post.”
Edge had to make the decision after candidate Marlas Williamson challenged Rawlins’ qualifications to run for the post in two letters addressed to Edge dated September 15 and 24, 2009. Those letters caused a hearing on Rawlins’ qualifications to be held on October 6 where Edge heard from both candidates as to whether Rawlins was qualified to run for the seat or not.
Williamson’s reasons for saying Rawlins was not qualified to run were: failure to pay utility fees in a timely manner, failure to pay county taxes in a timely manner, failure to pay occupational fees in a timely manner, failure to pay insurance premiums in a timely manner, violation of his oath of office and malfeasance or misfeasance in office.
In Edge’s order she stated that since Rawlins had not been convicted of any wrongdoing or adjudicated by a court and that failure to pay utilities is simply Rawlins owing a debt, that Rawlins would be able to run.
Williamson does have the option to appeal the decision in Dodge Superior Court, but stated that she would not do so.
