Nebraska: The only Resident serves as the village clerk, treasurer, mayor and council.

[aGameOfThrones]

When you are the only resident of a community, every title fits.

Eiler, 77, is the lone inhabitant of Monowi, a village in northeast Nebraska. That is unique, according to new 2010 U.S. Census data, which indicates Monowi to be the only incorporated town, village or city in the country with only one resident.

Monowi had two people in 2000, the census showed, but the other one was Eiler's husband, Rudy, and he died in 2004.

"We probably have the record by going down in population 50 percent," Eiler quipped. "I chose to stay here after my husband died. It's home."

Eiler lives in a mobile home a half-block from the only business in town -- the Monowi Tavern. This is convenient because Eiler owns and operates the tavern. She and her husband bought the place in 1971 and she is there 12 hours a day serving drinks and food. Eiler also runs the town library, a tiny building jammed with 5,000 books that is dedicated to Rudy, a devoted reader.

While some shrinking communities let themselves become unincorporated, Eiler has done the required paperwork to keep Monowi a village. She serves as the village clerk, treasurer, mayor and council.

"I'm the whole thing," Eiler said. There's no need for any elections, she said, "because I'd be the only one to vote."


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/02/us-census-town-idUSTRE7311Y620110402

[aGameOfThrones]

I think she has too much power. Recall!!!

[libertarian4321]

village clerk, treasurer, mayor and council.

That poor woman is being overwhelmed with too much government!

[Ranger29860]

And some say we cant govern ourselves :P

[tangent4ronpaul]

FreeTOWN project, anyone?

[AZKing]

That poor woman is being overwhelmed with too much government!

This calls for a no fly zone, this woman is obviously under the heavy hand of a tyrannical dictator!

[BamaAla]

FreeTOWN project, anyone?

Meet ya there!

[mrsat_98]

sounds like a seperation of powers problem to me.

[eduardo89]

This calls for a no fly zone, this woman is obviously under the heavy hand of a tyrannical dictator!

She is the dictator! Everyone in town follows her every command!

[nayjevin]

Wow, I might move there myself.

[acptulsa]

You mean the mayor personally runs the only voting booth? No wonder she wins unanimously. :rolleyes:

[acptulsa]

Uh huh. You guys hear of a town that has zero cops and one tavern, and look at you.

[malkusm]

Heh, the jokes are just too easy on this one.

You guys probably think it's easy to be the Mayor and the entire Town Council, but tell that to someone with schizophrenia!

[acptulsa]

Wonder what she has to pay for her liquor license?

[goopc]

1. Move two liberty lovers to Monowi.
2. Vote Eiler out of office.
3. ???
4. Freedom!!!

This was actually attempted in Loving, TX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_County,_Texas#Takeover_attempt_by_the_.22Fr ee_Town_Project.22), a county with 82 people.

[Son of Detroit]

I'm surprised the town isn't called "Eiler" yet.

[malkusm]

1. Move two liberty lovers to Monowi.
2. Vote Eiler out of office.
3. ???
4. Freedom!!!

Poor Eiler :(

:p

[speciallyblend]

Meet ya there!

hell just 4 supporters to make sure we win hehe:) then we can turn it into a ron paul town:) ask the lakota nation to protect us once we get elected:)

[speciallyblend]

1. Move two liberty lovers to Monowi.
2. Vote Eiler out of office.
3. ???
4. Freedom!!!

This was actually attempted in Loving, TX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_County,_Texas#Takeover_attempt_by_the_.22Fr ee_Town_Project.22), a county with 82 people.

we need 4 to make sure we win, it is possible we have a no show vote and someone doesn't fill out the ballot properly! we just need 2 valid votes but to play it safe let us say 4;)

[acptulsa]

Poor Eiler :(

:p

What poor Mrs. Eiler? She owns the only home--in a town that ain't big enough for the two of us. Do we really have the required heartlessness to play two wolves and a sheep discussing dinner with her?

[aGameOfThrones]

She has a monopoly! Wonder if she belongs to a public union...

[Philhelm]

Ronpolis has a nice ring to it.

[eduardo89]

I wonder if the town civil servants collectively bargain...

[acptulsa]

I wonder if the town civil servants collectively bargain...

I doubt it. I think she does what needs to be done, and if you don't like her beer price you leave town.

I wonder if she has built herself a traffic light. Back when her husband was alive, they might have needed one.

[aGameOfThrones]

She needs to go to her tavern and demand she put a support the public unions sign or she will boycott herself. Greedy capitalist!

[UtahApocalypse]

Looks like a nice place:

http://goo.gl/maps/WzuX

[acptulsa]

Looks like a nice place:

Damn! Looks like an eighth of a mile worth of streets to maintain! That's a lot of work for an old lady.

[acptulsa]

You guys are taking big, but what if the population didn't get down to one by accident? Looks like she has plenty of room to bury bodies.

[South Park Fan]

How does her tavern get any business if she's the only resident. Are there communities nearby?

[acptulsa]

How does her tavern get any business if she's the only resident. Are there communities nearby?

You need to drive across a flyover state some time. Get an atlas and look at the Nebraska page. You can drive for an hour with nothing on the horizon but a grain elevator.

The state's bigger than Pennsylvania, New York or Georgia, yet can't claim as big a population as West Virginia. There's a whole lot of room between towns. And there may not be a great many rural residents nearby, but a certain percentage of them will drive for beer.

[acptulsa]

Wonder why she goes to the time and expense to keep it incorporated? Must be nostalgia.

[eduardo89]

Wonder why she goes to the time and expense to keep it incorporated? Must be nostalgia.

She's addicted to power.

[acptulsa]

She's addicted to power.

Not just everywhere one person can hold four officious titles.

[South Park Fan]

She's addicted to power.

Could she, in her capacity as the executive and legislative branches of the village's government, sell the entirety of the town to her private ownership?

[heavenlyboy34]

lulz @ thread :)

[Dr.3D]

Just wait till she votes herself a pay raise. The tax payers will revolt.

[acptulsa]

She'd never overthrow herself. There'd be a vacuum of power.

[eduardo89]

There's no need for any elections, she said

I think she needs to be overthrown, let's get a Security Council resolution.

[aGameOfThrones]

There's no democracy there! The U.S government must do something about this. She's a regular Saddam Hussein, with 100% of the vote.

[acptulsa]

There's no democracy there! The U.S government must do something about this. She's a regular Saddam Hussein, with 100% of the vote.

The U.S. government kind of has its hands full at the moment. Maybe the U.N. can persuade Guatemala to come up and lend a hand.

[pcosmar]

Sound like a town that needs a handyman/Maintenance Dept.

[eduardo89]

I think the town sign needs to be updated:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Population_sign%2C_Monowi%2C_Nebraska%2C_USA.jpg/800px-Population_sign%2C_Monowi%2C_Nebraska%2C_USA.jpg

[acptulsa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgY1bRsCnv8

[Inkblots]

A government of the person, by the person, for the person.