Vacant Spots Filled In Turbulent City Council Meeting
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Open Council Seats
Two Columbus city council members speak out about the council-member appointment process.
NBC 4
Two vacant council spots are filled during a meeting in which two councilmembers refuse to vote, citing the appointment process is not fair or transparent.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Columbus City Council canceled its scheduled Monday night meeting due to a lack of a quorum or a majority vote, but Tuesday night, voted in replacements for two vacant council seats.
NBC 4’s Mikaela Hunt GOT ANSWERS Tuesday.
For council, quorum means four of its seven members. Two council members were absent Monday night. Two seats remained vacant after Gov. Ted Strickland’s appointment of Kevin Boyce to the position of state treasurer and Maryellen O’Shaughnessy was elected to the position Franklin County clerk of courts.
Scroll down to find out what happened during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
During Monday’s meeting, council was scheduled to consider nominations for the two open positions or seats.
A little after midnight Tuesday, though, NBC 4 received an e-mail from council member Charleta Tavares’ legislative aid James Ragland. The e-mail’s subject was “Council Appointment Process Challenged.“ Ragland has applied for one of the vacant council seats.
Tavares and fellow council member Priscilla Tyson were holding a news conference Tuesday to discuss the appointment process. Hunt was in attendance.
The news conference was being conducted on an individual member basis.
Tavares and Tyson spoke out about the council-member appointment process. The two contended the process is not fair and transparent or open to the public.
They maintained the caucus is divisive (or creating disunity or dissension) in this situation because there was not a set process. They said they believe during the critical time period where the city is in financial dire straits council should be screening for appropriate skills and qualifications.
“You want consensus. You want five members of council to say these are the skill sets that are most important,“ Tavares said.
Tavares and Tyson claim the other three council members didn’t talk to them about their top choices.
“We have a serious budget crisis with the city and we need to get to work and we need council members to hop on board and get to work,“ Tyson said.
They were hopeful for greater discussion Tuesday night before a vote will be taken on these new members.
They said, in the future, council members should line out the process before the first application is taken.
BOTH SIDES
Bill Anthony, chair of the Franklin County Democratic Party, said the nomination process was the most fair and open it has been in a long time. He said he thinks building consensus before a public meeting would not make for an open process.
“We need to get back to the city business. I mean, they need to meet this evening and resolve this,“ Anthony said.
Hunt confirmed the city attorney has been monitoring the applicant process pursuant to Ohio law.
Hunt requested an interview with council President Mike Mentel, but was told he will make a statement after Tuesday’s meeting.
Paley Voted To Replace O’Shaughnessy; Miller Replaces Boyce
At the council meeting Tuesday night, a motion was made to vote on Eileen Paley as a new council member to replace O’Shaughnessy.
Tavares moved to suspend the rules to hold a discussion, but Mentel said the process was very open, honest and transparent, saying the city received an overwhelming number of candidates and that it is critical to seat people during this time.
Mentel declared that it was time to consider the motion on the floor, but Tyson suggested there had to be something done to suspend the rules or she would ask for a recess to talk with the city attorney.
Tavares said that Mentel never asked her for her new member names, saying she would not vote yay or nay. Tyson followed suit, saying she wouldn’t vote either.
Paley, a lawyer and member of the Columbus Civil Service Commission was voted in on a 3-2 vote.
Troy Miller, owner of ATM Central Development, was also voted in by three yes votes. Tyson and Tavares abstained again from voting.
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Reader Reactions
To rock the boat or follow the status quo? In politics, as in life, there are a multitude of approaches used to create silos and stifle debate which prevents the exchange and understanding of alternative points of view. What so often gets lost is what is best for the group at large to the whim of myopic political special interests.
Despite numerous editorials advocating the need to bring in new thinking and positive change to city council, Doug Preisse (chairman of the Franklin County GOP) summed it up best, “this (city council) is where the reality of politics on the ground comes crashing up against the theory of good government.“
As a political outsider and first time applicant to city council (or any other political position for that matter), I realize I may not have met desired qualifications. However, a young up-and-coming leader, such as attorney James Reese, should have not only been a finalist, but also have been appointed to one of the open city council seats. If I were among the GOP leadership, Mr. Reese would be my first choice to run with the hopes of winning a Columbus City Council seat this fall.
I appreciate and am grateful for my eight minute interview with Councilwoman Tavares on Sunday. However, she has publicly stated she pays no attention to party affiliation or political work, but instead looks for evidence that council applicants have been involved in a broad array of civic affairs. While this political-speak plays well to the public, it would appear the unwritten rule among current city council members is to appoint like-minded members rather than to seek the true diversity of thought which Americans so strongly advocate. As was explained to me during follow up , “each individual (council)member uses objective criteria. However, as duly elected officeholders, they were free to choose their own evaluation methodology.“ Translation - only Democrats need apply.
In filling the two open seats on Columbus City Council, I believe our elected city council representatives should seek to select the best and brightest of thinkers. Mr. James Reese is that type of capable individual, however his views might rock the city council boat. Therefore, the status quo will continue, especially with the course Mr Mentel has chosen to take.
I personally believe that members of the City Council should be voted into those positions I would like to see a more blended group of Republican Democrat and independent members and in response the blogger wanting the street cars NAY!
they are a complete waste of taxpayer dollars for only a few miles of track that will only serve one segment of the population and wont create as many jobs as you think it will and the common working person wont be able to afford to ride.
Yes, temp, thank God no heartless Republicans were seated. With a unanimous majority of brainless Democrats who knows what wonders Columbus City Council will be capable of!
I for one agree with the current process. I’d hate to see a Republican get the job.
We need to get the street cars going which will create and maintain many union jobs. I can’t wait for the new ball park too.
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