Board to seek appointee for Place 7 after vacancy; bylaws limit service to elected officials

The McLennan County Rural Transit District Board discussed vacancies and the appointment process at its Feb. 26 meeting after Chair announced that director David Pratka is no longer with Merritt City West, leaving Place 7 vacant.

Chair said the board has contacted City Manager Brian Daley and asked the city to nominate someone to fill the remainder of the term. The chair read bylaw language restricting eligibility: only elected officials of the governing body of the appointing entity are eligible to serve on the Rural Transit Board, and if the entity fails to fill a vacancy within 30 days the board may fill the seat.

Terms for Place 5 (Jason) and Place 7 (Sherry) are up in May 2026; the chair said those currently serving are eligible for reappointment but must follow the standard nomination process. A staff member confirmed they were reviewing bylaws for any other limits.

Why it matters: The eligibility restriction (elected-official only) narrows the pool of potential appointees and means affected entities must act promptly if they want to select a replacement without board intervention. The board will accept nominations from the entities that hold the seats and will schedule appointment voting when nominations arrive.