“The City Charter at 3.02 says that ‘if a vacancy occurs in the Council, except as the result of a recall election, some eligible person shall be chosen by a majority vote of the remaining members to fill the vacancy for the expired term,’ ” Moeller wrote, in response to the question.
Moeller added: “I am confident that council will choose an individual with little or no learning curve and who is aware of ongoing projects in the City. There are precedents of prior Councils selecting eligible people with this type of background.”
Moeller offered no way people interested in the position can indicate their interest in the position, whose term will end at the end of the year.
Council Member Susan Vaughn said she expects the vote on a replacement council person at the Aug. 25 meeting.
“I think it’s important that we have a full council,” she said. “There’s a lot going on in the city. I believe having someone who has some knowledge of what is happening in the city is only fair. There’s no way you want to bring someone in who knows nothing, and makes some really important decisions.”
Has the council discussed, behind closed doors, who should be chosen?
“I can’t talk about that, if we did or not,” Vaughn said. “I know it has to be a public decision and vote.”
Here are the six candidates who have filed to run for the three council seats, including the one vacated by Brown. All have been certified as eligible candidates by the Butler County Board of Elections:
- Incumbent council members Tim Naab and Michael Ryan;
- Danny Ivers;
- Lauren Copas Smallwood;
- Kristina Latta-Landefeld; and
- William Joel Lauer.
Meanwhile, Moeller, who is the seventh member of council, will be unopposed in his bid for reelection.
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