While every motion holds meaning for the person filing it or the resident behind the filing of it, this week’s City Council agenda appears relatively bland and controversy free to this particular set of eyes.
However, the pre-game show is likely to be the most consequential of all Tuesday discussions.
The Council’s Rules and Election Subcommittee meets at 5:30pm Tuesday to take up the succession plan should a Councilor not be able to complete his or her term for whatever reason. And while City Solicitor Corey Williams recently opined what the city’s Charter calls for, we haven’t seen the last of efforts to craft rules allowing for a special election to fill vacancies.
Elections Director Greg Pappas, who spent nearly three decades working for Secretary of State William Galvin’s Office, believes that is the proper procedure to follow, and it appears at least two subcommittee members are in agreement.
Councilor Sokhary Chau, who Chairs the committee, tells InsideLowell “filling a vacant Council seat is just as important as the initial election. The public deserves the right to weigh-in with their vote. Though there are extra costs when holding a special election, these are really the costs we as a City are willing to pay to insure transparency in our free and open elections.”
he favors a Home Rule petition creating a special election provision.
A second member, Kim Scott told us she supports “a special election within the first 12-18 months of the unexpired term and an appointment by majority of the City Council after that time. The voters should have the say in their representation.”
The third member of the committee, Councilor John Descoteaux, said “I’m still reviewing all possibilities, but I think a discussion regarding a candidate that ran city wide and had more votes than the second place finisher in that district has merit.”
Whether the full City Council supports what the subcommittee recommends remains to be seen. And of course, working out the various specifics that would create a special election process could prove challenging.
As we saw with the ADU discussion last year, the devil is always in the details.
