Musical Chairs In Lakewood Government

[Jim O'Bryan]

One of the big conversations this past weekend over on the front porch was the lack
of conversation over who will be appointed to the Nickie Anotnio seat on council and/or
the other council seat should Ed be elected to the County Executive seat, and as of now
I would say that is a slam dunk.

TWO SEATS OPEN, no conversation?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Time to kick this backroom door open, and look for a light switch, ehhh?



.

[Bill Call]

TWO SEATS OPEN, no conversation?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Time to kick this backroom door open, and look for a light switch, ehhh?

The New Aristocracy will party on until you take away the punch bowl.

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/1 ... ss-and-the

[Rhonda loje]

Are you surprised?

[sharon kinsella]

I looked into my crystal ball and saw that there is consideration being given to some folks North of the William Sonoma line.

Does it make you feel alive people?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Bill

Just set aside the time to read. Good read.

While Europeans are accustomed to being ruled by presumed betters whom they distrust, the American people's realization of being ruled like Europeans shocked this country into well nigh revolutionary attitudes. But only the realization was new. The ruling class had sunk deep roots in America over decades before 2008. Machiavelli compares serious political diseases to the Aetolian fevers -- easy to treat early on while they are difficult to discern, but virtually untreatable by the time they become obvious.

Funny how I am watching this play out around the region as the entire region now
nearly 15 years into the dream that CLE+ will deliver the region, and that those "in
power*" have set up hundreds of programs to get volunteers and locals to rearrange
the deck chairs on the "Good Ship Northeast Region" aka Titanic so that everyone
has busy work to keep their minds off how little their politicians and leaders are really
doing.

This is a technique often used by illusionists.




Sharon

With both the Lakewood Republican group seemingly not able to get traction after their
power moves of years ago, and the Lakewood Democrats seemingly in both splinter
and deep, deep depression mode, where would you find the next council people from?

I cannot fault those North of the WSL for over extending, dreaming or living. There are
many good people down there. What I have found is that many are really good solid
open minded people. Many of them have been sold a false bill of goods by friends and
neighbors. I have watched high schoolesque peer pressure cause good thinkers to try
heroin, crack, theft, and go against everything they have every learned. Peer pressure is
odd that way.

But I can possibly fault some of us for playing and seeking financial rewards
as the ship goes down.



For nearly a century this band was seen as heroic, it was nothing more than
entertainment to distract from those that were actually getting in the lifeboats.
Maybe the question should have been, could the band have helped fill up lifeboats, or ?


I see no Charles Parnell Stewart on the streets of Lakewood.

Maybe instead of Musical Chairs, I should have said Deck Chairs.

.

[Valerie Molinski]

I was under the impression that there would only be one vacancy- nicki's. If Mayor Fitz leaves, his spot is taken by the law director. Isn't that is what is in the city charter?

[stephen davis]

I was under the impression that there would only be one vacancy- nicki's. If Mayor Fitz leaves, his spot is taken by the law director. Isn't that is what is in the city charter?

Valerie,

Use this link to the City Charter:

http://www.onelakewood.com/CityCouncil/CityCharter.aspx


See Article II, Section 8 for your answer about Mayor.

ACTING MAYOR.
(A) If the Mayor’s office becomes vacant, the following individuals shall succeed to the office in the following order: Director of Law, Director of Finance, Director of Public Works, President of Council, and an elector of the City chosen by Council.

(B) If a vacancy occurs more than two years and 105 days before the next regular election to be held for the office of Mayor, a successor shall hold office until the first day of January following the next regular municipal election, as provided for in this Charter. If the Mayor-elect dies, resigns, or removes his or her residence from the City, after election but before taking office, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment made by Council prior to the commencement of the term to be filled, and the person so appointed shall hold office until the commencement of the new term for the office of Mayor following the next regular municipal election. In either case, a Mayor shall be elected for the unexpired term at the first regular municipal election following such event.

(C) If that vacancy occurs two years and one hundred five days (2 years and 105 days) or less before the next regular election to be held for the office of Mayor, the successor shall hold office for the balance of the term of the Mayor who is succeeded.

(D) If the Mayor is temporarily absent from the City, or becomes temporarily disabled for any cause, the duties of the Mayor shall be performed during such absence or disability by one of the officials named, and in the order provided, in this Section, under the title of Acting Mayor.

See Article III, Section 2 for Council.

QUALIFICATIONS AND VACANCIES.
Each member of Council shall have been for at least one (1) year immediately prior to the date of taking office both a resident and qualified elector of the City. Each member of Council elected from a ward of the City shall be a resident of the ward from which such member was elected. All members of Council shall continue to be residents and qualified electors of the City and, if elected or appointed from a ward, shall be and continue to be a resident of that ward. Any member who ceases to possess such qualifications shall forthwith forfeit his or her office. Vacancies in Council shall be filled by the remaining members thereof, provided that in the event Council does not so appoint a successor within sixty (60) days of the occurrence of a vacancy, the Mayor may fill the vacancy. Such appointee shall hold office for the unexpired term of the member in whose office the vacancy occurs or until his or her successor is elected and qualified. A successor shall be elected at the next regular municipal election, provided that such vacancy occurs more than two years and one hundred five days (2 years and 105 days) prior to the date of such election. Any vacancy that results from a recall election shall be filled in the manner provided by Article XXII of this Charter

Steve

.

[Charlie Page]

I borrowed this quote from Urban Dynamics.

As I am starting to hear the next line up for council when Nickie moves on, and Ed
gets elected is almost staggering in their boldness to control. This is going to be a fun election.

Who's in the next line up for council?

Who's boldness to control?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Who's in the next line up for council?

Who's boldness to control?

Charlie

It would seem we both have the same questions.

What I was wondering does anyone else?

So one more is certainly a start on
a conversation.

OK

Anyone else?


.

[Rhonda loje]

So what Wards are we talking about potentially?

[Stan Austin]

Nickie holds one of the at large seats

[Jim O'Bryan]

I was under the impression that there would only be one vacancy- nicki's. If Mayor Fitz leaves, his spot is taken by the law director. Isn't that is what is in the city charter?

Valerie

Some of the talk around the bar/back fence scene is that Norah Hurley Lakewood's Law Director
might not want the position. And that neither Jenn Pae, nor Joe Beno would want it either.

I will not speculate about why they might not as I think they both could add a lot to the
position of mayor, so that would get us down to City Council and council president
Kevin Butler, who has also stated he might not be up for it, so then it could be an
appointment or more maneuverings.

Current flavor of maneuverings move Councilman Mike Summers to that list which would
then give us two council seats needing appointments to fill them.

Which brings us back to the first post in the thread, who gets those seats.


.

[Charlie Page]

Well, there's only one seat for sure and that's Nickie's. Although he's the best choice, Ed winning is not a forgone conclusion. If I was Ed and won, I'd want to get my team in place ASAP and hit the ground running come January. I would have to think very hard about resigning as Mayor shortly after the election to get the transition moving. Also, November is budget season for the City. I think it would be important for the new Mayor and Council to fully own the budget. Resigning would enable the new Mayor and new Council members to accomplish that. But that's just me thinking out loud.

I'm not implying anyone would mentally check out the last two months but I would want the new people in ASAP at such a critical time.

As for who those new council members would/should be, I would like to be considered for one of the open seats. Running for Council has been stiring in the back of my mind for a while now.

[stephen davis]

Well, there's only one seat for sure and that's Nickie's. Although he's the best choice, Ed winning is not a forgone conclusion. If I was Ed and won, I'd want to get my team in place ASAP and hit the ground running come January. I would have to think very hard about resigning as Mayor shortly after the election to get the transition moving. Also, November is budget season for the City. I think it would be important for the new Mayor and Council to fully own the budget. Resigning would enable the new Mayor and new Council members to accomplish that. But that's just me thinking out loud.

I'm not implying anyone would mentally check out the last two months but I would want the new people in ASAP at such a critical time.

As for who those new council members would/should be, I would like to be considered for one of the open seats. Running for Council has been stiring in the back of my mind for a while now.

Charlie,

Nickie's term ends on January, 1st. I don't think she would/should leave before then. Council would have 60 days from then to replace her. After 60 days, the choice would be up to the Mayor.

You make a good point about Ed Fitzgerald. I agree. If he's elected, and I don't know why he shouldn't, he would/should begin preparing for his new position. This will be a unique and historic transition in this county. He will have plenty to do.

Ed's election would only open a position on Council if the office of Mayor was filled by a Council member. (See the line of succession, as defined by the City Charter, in my previous post.)

Times like this make me ponder, again, the advantages of a Council/Manager form of government. It could provide better continuity of government in these and many other situations.

I don't condemn the ambitions of our Lakewood elected officials. I think we should embrace those ambitions as a homegrown advantage at higher levels, BUT even without a form of government change, I think our City Charter could be adjusted to make these transitions a little smoother, and maintain continuity in the mission of good government in Lakewood.

Steve

[Charlie Page]

Nickie's term ends on January, 1st. I don't think she would/should leave before then. Council would have 60 days from then to replace her. After 60 days, the choice would be up to the Mayor.

Her term doesn’t end as much as her first term as State Rep starts in January.

There’s plenty of time before hand to choose a replacement for her on Council. I would hope the entire 60 (potentially 120) days aren’t used.

She’s in the same boat as Ed if he were to win. The transition to State Rep would be a new challenge for her but probably not too difficult (a walk in the park compared to County Executive). I think if there’s an appointee ready, she could resign and begin her transition. This would let the new person own the budget and other critical items going into the new year. Politically, it could be a bad move to resign if there’s no impending replacement (it could be exploited by a future opponent as leaving Lakewood in the lurch).

Ed's election would only open a position on Council if the office of Mayor was filled by a Council member. (See the line of succession, as defined by the City Charter, in my previous post.)

I was going off Jim’s scenario.

Times like this make me ponder, again, the advantages of a Council/Manager form of government. It could provide better continuity of government in these and many other situations.

I thought about that as well. But then you trade one set of problems for another. This is a unique time for Lakewood where we have an opportunity to send two good people on to higher office at the same time. Who knows when this will happen again. I’d rather stay with what we have for now.

I don't condemn the ambitions of our Lakewood elected officials. I think we should embrace those ambitions as a homegrown advantage at higher levels, BUT even without a form of government change, I think our City Charter could be adjusted to make these transitions a little smoother, and maintain continuity in the mission of good government in Lakewood.

I agree 100%.