John Nix (center), former Tyler City Council member and a candidate for mayor, attends a meeting of the city of Tyler’s Half Cent Sales Tax Board. (Erin Mansfield/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

A former city councilman and current candidate for Tyler mayor has joined a city panel that makes infrastructure recommendations to the City Council.

John Nix now sits on the Half Cent Sales Tax Board. He attended his first meeting Tuesday, voting on an annual infrastructure plan.

Nix resigned his City Council seat in March. Upon resigning, he announced he would run for mayor in 2020. Councilman Don Warren announced his bid in May.

Nix was elected in May 2013 to serve an unexpired term on the council. He was elected to three more two-year terms but was limited to six years of service under the city’s charter.

“Criss (Sudduth), the guy who replaced me, asked me to fill in the seat and represent my district on Half Cent, which I was gladly willing to do because there were so many projects that we were still in the process of working on,” Nix said.

He said he does not face a term-limit issue because the charter has term limits for each specific board. He said his time maxed out on City Council, and even though he previously sat on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals, he hasn’t hit his term limits on the boards.

“The only one I’ve hit term limits so far is City Council,” Nix said. “Once you’ve gone past those term limits, then you’ve violated the charter.”

Members of the Half Cent Sales Tax Board are appointed by the City Council. There are representatives of each of six districts, and the chairman serves at-large.

Separately, Councilwoman Shirley McKellar nominated and the City Council has confirmed Pastor John Walton from Church Under a Bridge to also serve on the Half Cent Sales Tax Board.

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