(ABC 6 News) – Mayor Lynn Doane and Riceville City Council members Paige Porter, Wade Wanner and Luke Harken turned in their resignations, effective December 31, 2024, at the Oct. 21 special meeting.

The four resignations were approved by the council and follow councilmember Salvador Gomez’s exit, approved Oct. 15 and effective on Dec. 31.

Doane cited contentious public comment periods at meetings, concern over the city’s Public Works budget and hiring practices, and drains on her time with family as reasons for her resignation.

“There’s just been a lot of negative feedback all year long,” said Doane. “It hasn’t been on one issue. It’s been on every issue. And that also has taken a lot of time from us [on the council]. It’s emotionally draining.”

The city had struggled to find a public works employee since the retirement of the previous director in April, but approved the hiring a part-time public works director at the special meeting.

According to council member Nathan Kinter, between contracting new trash services, treatment of the wastewater lagoon, and “everything else that goes with running a city with eight hundred people, I guess they got fed up.”

According to the Oct. 21 proceedings, the city has 60 days to alert Mitchell and Howard County auditors and schedule a special election to fill the positions.

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ABC 6 NEWS — In Riceville Iowa, the city council will be meeting to review and consider the resignation of three of their five members as well as the mayor.

The resignations include council members Paige Porter, Wade Wanner and Luke Harken, who was elected last November. Mayor Lynn Doane has also turned in her resignation.

At this time, it is not know why these resignations are happening, or what the plan is to fill the vacancies should they be accepted.

The meeting to discuss these resignations will take place at Riceville City Hall on Monday at 7 a.m.