LEESBURG - Two new members will sit at the next Leesburg Town Council meeting.
Thursday night, a caucus was held at the Leesburg Town Hall, and Thomas Moore and E. Douglas Jones were named the new council members. They were officially sworn in at the Kosciusko County Justice Building at 11:45 a.m. today.
A room full of citizens listened as five of the six candidates for the two town council positions each were given three minutes to speak about why they wanted the position and what they wanted to do as a council member. The sixth candidate, Ricky Boyd Ellis, did not attend the caucus and did not send a representative to speak on his behalf.
After each candidate spoke, Republican Precinct Committeeman Harold Jones addressed the audience, thanking recently resigned board members Jay Weaver and Ryan Robinson for their service to the community.
Harold Jones said that with budget concerns and shortfalls expected, it will be important for the council members to cooperate.
"Towns are facing shortfalls lke never before, even at the county level," said Harold Jones. "We need people here who will make a difference and we need people who will work with leaders in the county."
Then Harold Jones cast his vote for his son, E. Douglas Jones, and Thomas Moore.
When he addressed the audience, Jones said he felt it was his civic responsibility to serve the town. He was a Leesburg Town Council member from 1980 to 1986 and was on the Warsaw Community Schools Board of Trustees from 1986 to 1990.
Moore and his wife moved to Leesburg in 1976.
"We like it. We like the town, and we intend to live here the rest of our lives," Moore said.
E. Douglas Jones said he has lived in Leesburg all his life, owns a retail and consulting business and is active in many community service groups.
"I am a problem solver people," E. Douglas Jones said. "It's what I do everyday. ...Common sense needs to prevail. ... I will do the job in a fair way for the residents of Leesburg."
Other candidates for the position were Boyd, Jan Carter, Tanya Wood and Steven Wood.
The council will meet for its first meeting with the new members will be April 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Leesburg Town Hall.
