Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Mason says he plans to remain on NCQC

Nevada County Justice of the Peace Arval Mason has announced that he plans to continue his representation of his district.

Mason, the incumbent, lost in the May primary to his opponent, E.Z. Sonny Buster. Buster died before taking office, meaning the Nevada County Quorum Court would have had a vacancy.

During the November meeting of the quorum court, Nevada County Judge James Roy Brown told members of the quorum court that hed researched the subject. Brown said that a qualified justice of the peace could continue to hold his or her seat until a new qualified elector has been sworn in to take that seat. According to Brown, that meant that Mason would continue to hold the seat even after Jan. 1 - unless he chose to resign the seat.

At that meeting, Mason declined to say whether he would serve another term. At the December meeting, Mason again said he hadnt made his decision.

He made the announcement official on Dec. 27, citing the state law that allows an elected official to retain the seat and the fact that hed received support for that decision.

I didnt want to be any where I wasnt wanted, he said.

JPs will hold their first meeting of 2007 at noon at the Nevada County Courthouse on Jan. 2 under the direction of county judge-elect Baker Butler. The purpose of the meeting is to swear in new members and to set meeting dates for the coming year.