As of Monday afternoon three prospective candidates had picked up nominating petitions, which is the first step toward qualifying for the Nov. 4 Eagleville city council election.

The prospective candidates include William (Wes) Fitzgerald, a dentist, and businessmen Alan Ball and David Turner. Local businessman Sam Tune is also expected to run for a council seat but had not picked up a petition by Monday afternoon.

Fitzgerald, Ball and Tune would be first-time Eagleville council candidates, but Turner ran against Mayor Nolan Barham in 2006. Barham beat Turner by a narrow margin.

Three full four-year council seats will be up for election on Nov. 4, which are those of Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill and Councilmen M.A. Smitty and Terry Zumbro.

Also, candidates may run for the two-year unexpired term of former Councilman Greg Buchanan, who resigned Feb. 4 because he moved outside the city limits and did not own property in the city.

Hill said he plans to seek another term, and Zumbro said he is undecided. Smitty told the Daily News Journal he does not plan to run again.

Fitzgerald is expected to run for Buchanan’s two-year unexpired term, and Ball, Tune and Turner are expected to run for the four-year terms. Hill said he does not know if he will run for the two-year term or another four-year term.

Councilmen seats are at-large, meaning the top three vote-getters for the three-unexpired terms will be the winners. The person who receives the most votes for the two-year term will be the winner of Buchanan’s unexpired council seat.

Those wanting to run in the Nov. 4 city election have until Aug. 21 at noon to file completed nominating petitions at the Rutherford County Election Commission office. The petitions must be signed by at least 25 voters who are registered in the candidates’ district.

The petitions must be picked up at the election commission office by the prospective candidates themselves. The office is located on the south side of the square in Murfreesboro, and the telephone number is 898-7743.

Candidates must either live in the city limits or own property in the city and live in the Eagleville precinct.

The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 4 city election is Oct. 6. Early voting will be held Oct. 15-30.

Results posted on the election commission’s website show that Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill received 95 votes in the April 2004 municipal election. Councilman M.A. Smitty received 82; candidate Bobby Turner received 56, and Councilman Terry Zumbro received 86.

Eagleville elections have traditionally been held in April instead of November. But city councilmen voted in May 2006 to change the election date from April to November to coincide with the federal and state general elections in order to save the city money. City elections are held every two years.