Many of us feel this action was taken seven weeks too late as it was on the night of Sept. 23 that Ms. Abbott joined with Loomis, Carter & Kunisch to terminate David Andrews as our Town Manager.
Paula's action leaves the town in somewhat of a quandary. Someone will need to be appointed to fill her remaining 7 months, and as things are now, a 3-3 vote on most, if not all potential candidates seems inevitable. We'll see how that plays out.
As for Paula, she was first elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. For most of her tenure, she was a lone voice of the people of Oro Valley. Sure, she had her detractors all along the way, but having helped get her elected twice, Paula always had my respect for voting her conscience and usually voting for the best interests of the people.
Did Paula and I agree on every issue? Of course not. I believed some of her votes were wrong, but in a seven year span, would any two people agree on every issue every time? Obviously not.
I would also say this to Paula's detractors: How many of us could have lasted for that long a time, especially when dealing with other Council Members that treated you with such disdain? Paula dealt with it, although it was never easy.
It wasn't until Paula saw fit to take the action against David, that was NOT in the best interests of the vast majority of us, that I too became one of her detractors.
Hopefully, now that she is no longer on the Council, Paula will tell us as how and why she joined the other three in terminating David. Some of us already know the answer, but Paula should "come clean."
Closing on a positive note, I'd like to thank Paula for her seven plus years of service to the community, and wish her our best now that she is once again only a citizen of our community.
11 comments:
My dread is that Terry Parish will be appointed.
How does the appointment process work?
Any of the six member council can nominate a candidate. They will need a majority vote to be appointed until the expiration of the term on June 2.
As I noted in the posting, it may be difficult to find ANYONE that will be satisfactory to more than three members.
If nobody gets appointed, I guess we'll have a six member council until June.
Anybody out there who believes they meet the criteria?
Although I once supported Paula Abbott, I no longer do, and am happy to hear this news. And since Kunisch apparently isn't running again, that's two down and two to go!
Just as I predicted. I knew she would not last.
Who is next?
Nombe
Ferlin, I don't think there is a chance Terry Parish will be appointed.
The big question is will they give one of the candidates a leg up by appointing them now?
or
Will they appoint someone who will not run in 2010 and will vote with only the welfare of the Town in mind?
Conny, Ferlin, Nombe, et al - I doubt that any person that is or might be a candidate for a seat on council could be considered for a temporarily assigned Council position as this might be perceived, and justly so, as an attempt by Council to PUBLICLY favor one candidate over another.
Zev-- Anyone that is qualified (OV citizen and old enough) can be considered. The problem will be, as I see it, finding a qualified candidate that is satisfactory to the 3 that saw fit to terminate David Andrews, and the other three that still don't know what the "issues" were.
As such, how's this for an idea?
Sell the seat to the highest bidder. Obviously, there would need be be a minimum bid---say, in the neighborhood of $700,000 ($100K/month in office seems reasonable.)
The money could be used for more donations to the likes of TREO, more free trips for the mayor, more bed tax "kickbacks" for all the new hotels or any other worthy endeavor.
Anybody else think this is a good idea? (Don't all answer at once!)
Art, according to a person whom I believe to be a reliable source, that which I posted would be correct in that a 'certified active candidate' would be disallowed for a temporary appointment; if that is not legally correct then I would deem same to be prudent.
Now, if someone could come forth with the total of a legal process for such circumstance, that would also be prudent and then we can all toss the mere speculations.
Zev...
I think certification comes after committee papers are appropriately filed and the petitions are submitted and the signatures are verified.
Thinker, I agree and that's what I meant by "candidate" and that's what I meant by clarifying it as a "certified active candidate". I think you and I are in concert on the definition.
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