A week after being elected, Ken McClure yesterday was sworn in as Springfield’s mayor.
During a special City Council meeting, members Jan Fisk of General Seat A, Craig Hosmer of General Seat B, Phyllis Ferguson of Zone 1 and Craig Fishel of Zone 4 also were sworn in after winning re-election bids during the April 4 municipal election. Zone 2 Councilman Tom Prater, who also was selected by voters, was out of town and will be sworn in at a later date, according to a news release.
McClure defeated competitor Kristi Fulnecky with 68 percent of the votes. Fulnecky will continue to hold her General Seat C position on council. Her term expires in two years. The other member of council, Mike Schilling of Zone 3, is serving a term ending in 2019.
As Springfield’s new mayor, McClure succeeds Bob Stephens, who gained the position in May 2012 after the abrupt resignation of Jim O’Neal, who cited personal and professional obligations.
Stephens announced later that year he would run for mayor in the April 2013 general election, when voters approved his campaign.
O’Neal’s transportation company O&S Trucking Inc. in May 2012 filed for bankruptcy protection before inkling a deal to serve as a contract carrier for Springfield-based national trucking firm Prime Inc.
Yesterday, McClure said he would lead a council that’s accountable to Springfield residents.
“We’ll take the time and we will exert the effort that we need to chart the course that’s transparent, strategically planned and do it in the right way,” he said. “We will work to make sure that our agreement with the community maintains the highest professional standards of civility and accountability and reflects the shared vision that we all have of moving the community forward.”
