HANNIBAL MAYOR RESIGNS

HANNIBAL, Mo. — In a letter addressed to Hannibal’s city council, city clerk and city manager, Mayor Jim Hark has tendered his resignation.

The Hannibal City Council has its regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at Hannibal City Hall.

Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dobson will serve as the interim mayor until a special election in April 2024.

Hark has been mayor since 2016. He cited additional responsibilities in his current job as the reason for his departure.

Hannibal City Hall has been under fire for much of the last year over allegations of improprieties regarding the administrative leave of City Clerk Angel Zerbonia. Hark tried to impeach councilman Stephan Franke over his inquiries into Zerbonia’s handling of the office, but a judge ruled Hark acted improperly in the action and dismissed the city’s charges against Franke.

Megan Duncan will have more on this and on tonight’s city council meeting later tonight on Muddy River News.