Council fills mayoral vacancy after Bonebright’s death; election certificates issued in April

The Culbertson Town Council moved swiftly after the death of Mayor Bonebright on Jan. 3, 1959, appointing Robert Beterson to fill the unexpired mayoral term at its Jan. 5 meeting. The appointment motion was made by Alderman Krall and seconded by Robert Traeger and carried without recorded dissent. The council also appointed Howard Mc Kinney to the council vacancy created by Beterson’s appointment as mayor.

The council instructed that a resolution commending Mayor Bonebright’s service be prepared and mailed to Mrs. Bonebright. Liquor-license requests from the Stockmans Bar, Montana Bar and New Evans Club were granted at the same meeting with no dissent.

At a special session on April 13, the council canvassed the April 6 election and, on a motion by Sterling Mc Kinney seconded by William Krall, issued certificates of election to the successful candidates. The April canvass appears in the minutes as the formal step to confirm winners and issue certificates.

Later in the year, following the resignation of Mayor Penner, alderman Larsen moved and the council appointed Robert Traeger to fill the unexpired mayoral term; the council also appointed Alex Damm to fill the resulting aldermanic vacancy. Those appointments were taken at a September special meeting called to address the vacancy.

The actions recorded in the minutes across the year show a combination of interim appointments by the council and the formal canvass process to validate election outcomes. The minutes list the motions and seconders for these appointments and canvass votes but do not include roll-call tallies; in each recorded instance the minutes note the motion as carried.