Vickers begins tenure as newly elected Nevada Mayor

Nevada Council Member Kendall Vickers (pictured) became the newly elected Mayor during Tuesday evening's special session meeting.

Photo by Sarah Haney | Daily Mail Editor

During Tuesday evening's special session meeting of the Nevada City Council, Kendall Vickers and Carol Branham were both sworn in as council members following the approval of the certification of the April 4 election results.

After being sworn in, nominations were sought among the council for the role of Mayor. George Knox (who has been serving as Mayor) nominated Vickers for the job. With a second and a unanimous vote, the appointment was approved.

Vickers was born in the Nevada City Hospital in 1947. He grew up in the eastern Vernon County community of Dederick, graduating from El Dorado Springs High High School in 1965. He then went on to graduate from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture (1969), and a Juris Doctorate (1974).

Vickers is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City, having earned an L.L.M. in taxation (1986). He served on active duty as an officer in the United States Navy Reserve from June 1969 to June 1972, serving one year in the Republic of Viet Nam as an advisor to the Vietnamese Navy. He and his wife Susan have been residents of the Nevada community since 1975.

Vickers been active in the community for 48 years and chose to build a new house in an established neighborhood of Nevada, because he has deep roots in the community. "I have invested my time and treasure in this community and I want it to thrive," stated Vickers. "For that to happen we have to have qualified leaders who are invested in the community and who are not afraid to make hard decisions even if they are unpopular."

Vickers has been involved in many community activities throughout his life, serving as corporate secretary of Quality Products Inc.; incorporator, director, Secretary, President, and Treasurer of the Osage Prairie Young Men's Christian Association; a member of the Nevada R-5 School Board; president of the Vernon County Senior Center advisory board; vice-president of the Nevada Area Economic Development Inc.; and member of the City of Nevada Planning and Zoning commission.

Concerning issues facing the city, Vickers noted, "We have an aging population, aging infrastructure, and a general fund that is not increasing as fast as the cost of providing the city services that must be paid for from those funds. We have insufficient stock of decent, affordable housing to support economic growth."

He also noted that the city has "insufficient funds to pay for code enforcement or to fund the cost of demolition of derelict houses and commercial buildings. Our health care facilities are in precarious financial condition."

Vickers added that he believes that the passage of the 3 percent city tax on marijuana retail sales will help provide funding for a lot of improvements including better pay for city employees, helping with turnover issues.

"I believe all the council shares a vision of Nevada that we need growth," he stated. "Not just for growth sake, but because that's what it takes to generate the revenue to provide the amenities and city services that people expect and people want to entice them to move to the community. I think we've made some great strides in that area by having a full-time economic development director who is doing some great things."

As Mayor, Vickers will preside at city council meetings and at ceremonial events.