You may recall that in Tuesday's Tribune, we ran a photo of the two commissioners getting sworn-in on Dec. 30. Here it is (from l-r: Judge Steven Cranfill, Hall, and Burke):
Turns out, it didn't count.Back on Nov. 4, in addition to electing Burke and Hall to the commission seats, voters also approved Amendment A, which shortened and modernized the oath of office taken by elected officials. Last week, Burke and Hall were mistakenly asked to recite the old pledge.
The situation was rectified yesterday over lunch break in District Court Judge Steven Cranfill's chambers. Both commissioners swore to the new oath and signed off, making things officially official, even though their dress was bit less formal.
Burke and Hall had already conducted a morning's-worth of business, but Judge Cranfill said he didn't believe there were any legal issues. He quipped that the commissioners were now "doubly sworn in."
Bureaucracy is the price we pay for impartiality
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