[RP TownTalk] Ward 1 race

[Sarah Wayland]

>***On the election itself, though, can Vernon or 
>someone else answer the question as to whether 
>Tracey's replacement will chair the Economic 
>Development Committee?  Also, do we have a date 
>for a special election?  And will there be an 
>interim appointment, as Tracey was appointed by 
>Mr. Tiberio to serve out Chris Davis's term 
>before being elected in her own right?  Anything 
>else we should know about this transition?

Hi Regina,

First of all, Tracey has to officially resign. 
The town cannot move forward until she officially 
tenders her resignation.

----

Section 209 of the Town Code says:

§ 209: Vacancy
(a) A vacancy shall be declared to exist if a council member resigns, ....

(b) In the event a vacancy is declared within the 
first fifteen (15) months of a term, a special 
election in accordance with § 510 of this charter 
shall be held within forty-five (45) days after 
the declaration of the vacancy to fill the 
vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term.

(c) In the event a vacancy is declared during the 
last nine (9) months of a term, the mayor shall 
appoint, within forty-five (45) days after the 
declaration of the vacancy and with confirmation 
by a majority of the remaining council members, a 
qualified person from the ward for which the 
vacancy exists to fill the vacancy for the 
balance of the unexpired term.

----

Regarding the Economic Development Committee and 
its chairperson, the town laws aren't real 
specific. Section 2-1 of the Town Code says:

§ 2-1. Committees. [Revised 3-6-95.]

The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, 
shall appoint standing and other committees of 
the Council to perform such functions and be 
composed of such members as the Mayor may 
designate. The standing committees shall be 
Finance, Public Works, Public Safety and 
Legislative.

----

It seems to me that the Mayor could choose to 
appoint the new Ward 1 councilor as the chair of 
the Economic Development Committee, or, if the 
council agrees, shift who chairs each committee 
as he sees fit. If *I* were mayor, I'd wait to 
see who got elected and then decide if they were 
a good chair for that committee.

-Sarah

-- 

Sarah Wayland & Alan Thompson
twacks at his.com