By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Two out of four board members of Fire District No. 4, based in Peabody, must be replaced after its board was told last week that their Jan. 12 elections were nullified and must be redone.

County attorney Joel Ensey attended Thursday’s board meeting to tell the board that the two were not permitted to take their seats because the fire district’s bylaws rule them out.

Jay Cook, who lives in Catlin Township, was assigned to a Fairplay Township seat.

Chris Litton volunteered during the Jan. 12 election meeting to fill a vacant Peabody Township seat and could have been appointed to that seat by board president Wade Knust. Instead, his name was put on the ballot for a seat that was not due for election until 2025.

Under bylaws, fire board seats are to be filled by residents of each of the seven townships that make up the district. Elections are to be conducted on a specific annual rotation.

“If my election was just nullified, I’m done,” Litton said.

He then left the meeting, banging the fire department’s exterior door.

Ensey told board members to call a special meeting for a new election.

Board members set the election meeting for Feb. 8.