Dunn will Fulfill Gobel's Term as Mayor

WAITSBURG - The first item under "new business" on the Waitsburg City Council Agenda last week was how to fill the vacant council position left following the resignation of Mayor Walt Gobel earlier this month.

A lack of clarity in the city's charter, which dictates such decisions, left the council trying to determine the best way to move forward. After council discussion and public comment, it was decided that Mayor Pro-tem Marty Dunn will fulfill the rest of Gobel's term as mayor, and applications will be accepted for candidates to fill the resulting council seat opening.

City Attorney Jared Hawkins said the city's municipal code talks specifically about council vacancies but that there is not a lot of clarity regarding filling a vacated mayoral position. He said parts of the code refer to the mayor as a council member and other parts indicate a clear distinction as mayor.

Hawkins said he didn't think it was mandatory, but recommended the council follow the same guidelines for selecting a mayor as for selecting a council member, which includes accepting applicants, holding interviews, and voting on candidates.

Waitsburg Attorney Mike Hubbard, speaking as a member of the public, agreed, saying the charter says the mayor is a member of the council and subject to the same procedure. Former council member Jim Davison cited past practice in 1986 when Mayor Tom Baker resigned and pro-tem Davison finished out that term.

Dunn asked if it would be possible to stick with the mayor pro-tem and four council members and Hawkins said a council person must be appointed within 90 days. Council member K.C. Kuykendall noted that a mayor must be named because the mayor has powers that don't extend to council members.

Kuykendall said that when council member Orville Branson resigned in 2013, the council approached him (Kuykendall) to fill the vacancy. Kuykendall said he felt the most appropriate thing for the council to do is to listen to the will of the people.

"Giving the position to the next highest vote-getter, since we just had a recent election, makes the most obvious sense. That speaks for the majority of the voting citizens of the community. I can't imagine what logic would be used for selecting somebody else unless this council thinks the next highest vote-getter is incapable of fulfilling the duties," Kuykendall said.

The council member with the next highest votes in the 2016 election was Karen Gregutt.

Former council member and recent mayoral candidate Delores Nettles said she was previously selected to council as the next vote-getter.

Hawkins said that the charter process of accepting applications and interviewing for council seats could be suspended, but that a process would be required to do that. He again encouraged the council, based on the recent public interest following the process and in the interest of transparency, to stick with the regular selection process for filling both positions.

"The point is kind of moot. I was here when the council voted to make Marty the mayor if the mayor was unable to fulfill his obligations. They've all agreed he's the person they want. So just fill the council member chair and leave our mayor pro-tem," said Delores Nettles, to a round of applause from the crowd.

The council voted unanimously to make Mayor Pro-tem Marty Dunn mayor to finish the current term.

Applications for the open council seat are available at City Hall and will be accepted through 4 p.m. on Sept.8. Interviews will take place at the next council meeting if there are less than six applicants. If there are more than six applicants a special council meeting will be held to narrow the field. The council will vote on the seat replacement at the Sept. 21 city council meeting.