City councillors changed their mind and are now choosing to appoint someone to fill in as councillor for Ward 6.
The appointment process begins today, with a special meeting of council to interview and assess the candidates taking place July 5. The successful person would be sworn into office at that meeting.
“Ain’t democracy beautiful? Back and forth around the table and the choice is an appointment process,” said Mayor Jeff Lehman, after an intense debate that began last week, continued over social media and included passionate ideological speeches about how to best serve the southwest ward that has not had an effective voice at the table for several months while long-time councillor Michael Prowse took a leave of absence.
A by-election would have seen the new councilor being sworn in Oct. 23 and serving until the next election in October 2018.
Prowse took a leave several months ago while his colleagues began and went through the process of finding a replacement for retiring chief administrative officer Carla Ladd, a process which included scrutinizing his own application.
In opting for an appointment, city councillors voted 6-4 to overturn last week’s decision to hold a by-election, but not without hashing over a series of amendments to reduce concerns about choosing who will be their new colleague.
One major concern was that the person they appoint would benefit from being an incumbent – with its name recognition and prestige – in the election that will be in full swing a year from now.
“If they truly do want to run in an election, they can do so on an equal playing field as the others,” said Ward 9 Councillor Sergio Morales, as he proposed having the candidates for appointment sign a declaration they wouldn’t run in the next election.
“It’s a symbolic statement residents can judge in the court of public opinion. It’s doing our due diligence. That would make it palatable to doing an appointment.”
But others didn’t like that idea.
Some said it wouldn’t be enforceable, while others didn’t want to restrict someone who does a good job.
Lehman recalled a previous appointee who said she would not run in the election turned changed her mind.
“The court of public opinion judged that person, because they went back on their statements,” he said, recalling the appointment of Alison Eadie, who in 2006 filled a vacancy created by Patrick Brown, who went onto federal politics. Eadie then lost the election.
Other councillors had concerns about how enforceable the promise would be, while others felt a councillor who served well should be able to run.
“This is an open call for people who would like to serve their community, who believe they can serve,” said Ward 8 Councillor Arif Khan.
