HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-19-2010 SUPPLEMENTAL COUNCIL AGENDAMemo
To: City Council
From: Ann Sullivan
Date: May 24, 2010
Re: Agenda Item — Council Candidate Interview Process &Questions
For Candidates Applying for Vacant Council Seat
Attached is correspondence the City received regarding this item.
Ann Sullivan, CMC
City Clerk
City Clerk [Ann Sullivan]
From: City Hall
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 7:56 AM
To: DL - Council; Dave Anderson; City Clerk [Ann Sullivan]
Subject: FW: filling Susie's Council position
From: Marcia Fariss [mailto:Marcia @Gizmology.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 5:15 PM
To: City Hall
Subject: filling Susie's Council position
Mayor King and City Council Members,
After viewing the portion of last evening's City Council meeting (May 19) discussing the best approach for
filling Susie Nagpal's seat on the Council, another point of view needs to be considered. Therefore, I
respectfully submit the following:
There must be public input for the now vacant City Council position! While recording or televising the
applicants' interviews is a step in that direction, it is insufficient in view of the importance of the situation.
For all intents and purposes, that approach prevents most, if not all of Saratoga's voters from participating in the
process. It is unlikely that there will be any issue so important between now and November that it cannot be
handled with only 4 Council members. After all, several issues have already been decided in recent months
with fewer than 5 members in attendance.
I therefore urge you to consider the following: appoint an interim Council member who will serve only until
the November elections; that interim member will not be allowed to run for a permanent position during this
election cycle (2010). However, they may run in subsequent elections.
The ideal solution and one I think that Susie and her family would prefer, is to leave her seat vacant until the
November election. Based on the information published in the Saratoga News, there are several candidates who
have already declared their intention to run for City Council in the fall. Electing one more Council
member (than would otherwise be elected) in November is not a problem.
There is no compelling reason to deny all Saratoga voters the right to select an additional City Council member
in November! Having current City Council Members appoint a new member, especially for a 2 1/2 year term is
completely undemocratic and defeats the purpose of having elections in the first place!
Marcia Fariss
Saratoga Glen Place