The Hoxie City Council will convene for a special meeting on Thursday to fill two vacant seats after the abrupt resignations of Mayor Tim Taylor and Councilmember Jerry Decker earlier this week. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. in the council meeting room at Hoxie City Hall and will be open to the public, though discussions are set to take place in executive session, according to a statement from council members Darrell Pickney, Steve Ditto, and Becky Linebaugh.
Taylor and Decker stepped down immediately following Tuesday night's council meeting, during which a resident presented documents accusing city officials of exceeding allowable travel expenses. The city ordinance limits lodging costs to $107 per day and food expenses to less than $60 daily. Documents reviewed by KAIT reportedly included an Airbnb receipt billed to the city for over $1,000 covering a three-night stay.
The council aims to address the leadership vacancies prompted by these resignations and plans to choose replacements during the upcoming meeting. The situation has drawn public scrutiny, with officials remaining tight-lipped about specific details ahead of Thursday's session.