Reddick is hoping for some good luck: Who wants to serve on town council?

Last month, it was the Town of McIntosh's turn to get some good news. This month, the Town of Reddick is keeping its fingers crossed for some good news of its own.

Town officials hope an open meeting, scheduled for May 9 at 7 p.m., will bring out potential candidates for the vacant town council positions.

In January, all six council members left their posts, citing the Form 6 financial disclosure requirements as the reason.

The form requires elected officials to disclose their financial information. Those who strongly disagree with the law feel it's an invasion of their privacy, exposes them to possible criminal activities, and is unnecessary for small communities.

Dunnellon, McIntosh and Reddick, with a combined population of fewer than 4,000 residents, were strongly affected by the rule. Of the three, only Dunnellon came through it without much heartache: Two of the five council members resigned and were replaced.

In McIntosh, four of the five council members walked away. The town was in limbo until Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed four people to fill the vacant slots last month. That leaves Reddick, which is still trying to find a way out this problem.

Looking for volunteers

Former Mayor John Vetter said he hopes the meeting will entice residents to consider serving on council.

Vetter, who had been in office for eight months, was one of the members who decided to leave before the Jan. 1 Form 6 deadline. Now he has had a change of heart. He's hoping to get someone to come to the meeting to explain the financial disclosure form in case anyone has questions or concerns. He said he will like to return as mayor.

To serve on council, candidates must be at least 21, live within the town boundaries in the last six months, and have a clean record. If town officials receive six candidates, then the six will go through a qualifying period before appointment. If there are more than six, then an election will be held in November, Vetter said.

Form 6: The fight against Form 6 continues, with small towns like Reddick hanging in the balance

The Town of Reddick is roughly one square mile, with close to 500 residents and a budget of anywhere between $250,000 and $280,000. Its revenue comes from the state and includes gas tax and revenue sharing. The town is one of the few municipalities in the state without a city tax.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Reddick trying to attract candidates for vacant town council seats