BELLE — Belle Ward 1 resident Gina Tegart, appointed on Dec. 21, 2022, to a Ward 2 alderman seat, stepped down from office on her own accord on Jan. 23 via a letter of resignation submitted to City Hall.

“I, Gina Tegart, formally resign my position as Alderwoman of Ward 2 for the city of Belle, Missouri, on this day, January 23, 2023. If I am required to do anything else regarding this matter, please let me know.”

Tegart addressed the letter to the mayor and aldermen.

Tegart’s residence in the opposite ward that she was appointed to represent was brought to light during the Jan. 10 Board of Aldermen meeting when a candidate for the seat, James “Pud” Mitchell, asked the board where the ward lines separated one jurisdiction from the other.

“I am in the wrong ward,” Tegart realized right away.

Belle Mayor Daryl White, Jr., declined an offer by the Public Works Director Tony Baretich to retrieve a map of the wards at City Hall, saying the board could look into the matter at a later date.

On Jan. 17, White contacted The Advocate to share the board would be posting a special meeting for early this week to resolve the matter in an open session because Tegart sits in an elected seat. A meeting was not scheduled between Jan. 17 and Jan. 23 when Tegart stepped down.

City Clerk Frankie Horstman said on Tuesday afternoon that the board has not given any instruction about advertising the open seat.

Mitchell is the only declared candidate for the seat that will be on the April ballot.