Small town in southwest Georgia forgets to hold election

BRINSON - The small southwest Georgia town of Brinson has just one full-time employee so it&#39;s understandable when something slips through the cracks. <br> <br> Like an election. <br> <br> Brinson was supposed to elect two town council members last November, but officials mistakenly thought the terms expired later this year. That meant no one was elected to replace councilmen Stanley Harrell and ``Boo Boo&#39;&#39; Sims. <br> <br> The clerk in the town of 225 - Sharon Foulk - calls it an honest mistake. In her words, ``We are very, very small. We&#39;re just doing the best we can in a small town.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Foulk says a combination of factors led to the missed election: a 1997 change of the town charter that staggered the council terms; the death of Councilman Charlie Paul Fryer that led to a special election; and an ad published in a local newspaper with the wrong dates. <br> <br> Town attorney Paul Fryer got a court order authorizing a special election after consulting with the Secretary of State&#39;s office. The order also allows Harrell and Sims to stay on the job until the March 19th election. <br> <br> It&#39;s not the first time a town has forgotten about an election. In 1997, Baconton, also in southwest Georgia, also failed to hold an election.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/1/200109