Lone Star city council bids farewell to Wexler and Alexander

By J. Leslie Riseden

Special contributor to

The Steel Country Bee

“I have loved every moment being your Mayor Pro Tem and alderwoman on the city council for the last eight years,” wrote outgoing council member Martha L. Wexler, as she addressed the regular meeting of the Lone Star city council on May 19. When Mrs. Wexler and fellow council member Earl Alexander were elected to city council in May 2008, she wrote, “The City of Lone Star was in financial trouble. Funds for the city had not been properly handled; the City had not been audited for three years.” Over a period of several weeks, members of the city council, city employees, and several citizens volunteered their time to sort through boxes of bills, checks and documents, said Mrs. Wexler, and they “were able to overcome that challenge and salvage our City’s reputation. After eight years, I want [to] go on record that the City is in the black and in good financial standing.”

Mrs. Wexler and Mr. Alexander received plaques commemorating their eight years of service to the city. In closing, Mrs. Wexler said that both she and Mr. Alexander feel that they are “leaving the city in good hands with Mayor Karl Stoermer and our City Secretary Devon Whatley” and added that she wishes “the newly elected council members well, and hope they serve the citizens well, too.”

As Mayor Pro Tem Wexler and council member Alexander exit from the council, Judge Bob Mattox swore in three council members for the next term: incumbent Jeri Chism, and recently elected members Ryan Harte and Lynn Cox.