InsideLowell has learned that Wayne Jenness, one of seven votes Tuesday night approving a motion to have the Lowell City Council appoint John Leahy’s successor in District 3, has filed a “Motion to Reconsider.”

According to Lowell City Council rules, the procedure can only be “made by one who voted with the prevailing side, provided notice of same has been given to Council Clerk by noon on the Friday following the meeting at which the motion was passed.”

“The way it all happened, with the discussion not on the original agenda, I felt there wasn’t sufficient time for anyone to provide input,” Jenness said when contacted. “We have thirty days once there is a vacant seat, and that clock doesn’t start until the resignation is effective. My preferred scenario is to take some time to consider it fully.”

When asked if his “Yes” vote was strategically cast so that he could file for reconsideration, the District 4 Councilor confirmed that indeed was the case.

“When roll call got to me, it was already 6-3 with one abstention, so the motion had already passed. I voted yes in order to have the opportunity to re-evaluate and file for reconsideration. Had the motion’s passage still been in doubt, I would have voted no on it.”

The motion to have the City Council appoint Leahy’s successor, which came up for discussion after a suspension of the rules during Tuesday’s meeting, will now come back before the board at the next meeting on July 23rd. At that point, it’s likely to get a second, which means the council  and the public will have an opportunity to speak on the matter.

It is unclear at press time if the motion to reconsider will be able to garner the six votes necessary to actually come up for another vote.

Assuming the three who voted no (Erik Gitschier, Vesna Nuon and Corey Robinson) join Jenness in favor of the reconsideration, that means two more votes are required among the other six  (Sokhary Chau, Johnny Descoteaux, Rita Mercier, Danny Rourke, Kim Scott and Paul Ratha Yem) who voted yes on the original motion in order for it to be reconsidered.

Councilor Leahy, who voted “present” during the original vote, tells InsideLowell he will vote the same way when the discussion on the motion to reconsider comes up.