Ordained online for a family friend
This weekend is a big one for the city of Hannibal.
No, it's not National Tom Sawyer Days, but it involves the mayor, the City Clerk, Central Park and a wedding.
Sound a little odd?
It's perfectly normal, once you have all the information.
Hannibal Mayor Roy Hark has been working on the city budget this week. But just to the side of the budget he has another book for a project he's working on. Directly below the mayor's office in City Hall, sits City Clerk Angel Zerbonia who has her own big project to think about. Just outside of both offices across the street is Central Park. What does all of this have in common? Let's back up just a little bit to about six months ago. Mayor Hark was making his rounds at City Hall and stopped in the Clerk's office. Angel hollered for his attention.
"I said, you know what do you think about marrying me?" says Zerbonia.
"I said I would if I was 40 years younger. We both started laughing and she said, 'no seriously, I would like you to be the one to marry me." says mayor Hark.
In some states a mayor can officiate a wedding, but not in Missouri. So after doing a lot of research to make sure it would be legal, Mayor Hark got ordained on the internet.
"The mayor's always been close to me and my family. I've always looked up to him as a mentor, and a father like figure," says Zerbonia.
So, now back to the present, and that other book on the Mayor's desk. It's the Christian Minister's Manual. For the next year, Mayor Roy Hark is also Reverend Roy Hark.
"I am very honored and very pleased that she asked me because I have the utmost respect for Angel and for Shawn," says Hark.
Shawn, of course being Angel's fiance. And how does he feel about all of this?
"He's okay with whatever decision I make," says Zerbonia.
See, this marriage is already off to a good start. The big question though is who's going to be more nervous during the wedding ceremony, the bride, or the officiant?
"I spent a lot of years on the fire department, as you know. I don't think I've been in as much heat and sweat as I have been in the last couple of weeks," says Hark.
Well then, Mayor consider this, in a little more than 24 hours, your job as reverend will be over.
"I believe I'll resign from the ministry right after the ceremony," says Hark.
Hark says he has no plans to marry anyone else.
He says this is strictly a personal favor for the couple.
By the way, we plan on sending a camera crew to the wedding Saturday night.
You can see the mayor in action right here on KHQA's Weekend News.