Latest news with #municipalelection
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Terra Alta council appoints mayor, recorder at emergency meeting
TERRA ALTA, (WBOY) — Following the recent resignations of its mayor and town recorder, Terra Alta's Town Council held an emergency meeting Thursday evening to appoint people to serve as interims in those positions. During the emergency session, the council appointed James 'Monk' Tasker as interim mayor and Jason Verbonitz as interim town recorder, both will serve in these roles until July 1. The town's municipal election will be held on June 10. 'So, filling that vacancy of mayor and recorder, we had to fill that so that we can continue to move forward to pay our bills, our utilities, things like that so we aren't falling behind with late fees and things being shut off,' Terra Alta Town Clerk Kambra Sisler said. 'So, now that we do have an active mayor and a recorder, we can proceed with paying our monthly bills as usual and try to take steps forward to get moving in the right direction.' Earlier this month, former Terra Alta Mayor Dan Hauger took responsibility for the town's failure to meet its 2025-2026 budget deadline, which could jeopardize the town's ability to collect taxes for the next fiscal year. The West Virginia State Auditor's office previously told 12 News that the town was seven weeks behind on submitting an extension to submit its budget. Levy funds in jeopardy for Terra Alta Public Library 'We did submit the budget last Friday, [May 23], we sent that by email to the state,' Sisler said. 'We got an email back that said that 'it was their standard acknowledgement that we submitted the budget, and that they had received it, that the acknowledgement does not imply it is being processed at this time. I must speak with our legal department before I consider processing this budget document that you have submitted.' So, I do have phone calls into the state today.' During the meeting, concerned community members questioned the four council members about the town charter and the recent appointments of the mayor and recorder. Town officials admitted they could not locate the current charter and only found an outdated version from before the town was officially established. They also explained that they were following guidance from the state code in making the appointments. Despite Hauger's resignation, he is the sole candidate listed on the ballot for mayor in the upcoming election, making his re-election highly likely. Should Hauger be re-elected, he will be required to resign once more, prompting the council to appoint a new mayor for the term beginning July 1. A comparable situation applies to former town recorder Mikaela Bernard, who is running as a write-in candidate against two others. If elected, she would also need to resign, and the council would once again appoint someone to fill the position. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Terra Alta council approves 2025-26 budget and acknowledges recorders resignation
May 23—TERRA ALTA — During a special meeting Thursday evening members of the Terra Alta Town Council approved the 2025-26 fiscal year budget, but on Friday morning, the town's recorder submitted her resignation. In a post on the town's Facebook page, Mikaela Bernard submitted a formal letter of resignation to the town addressing the mayor and town council. In her post, Bernard stated she is stepping down from the position due to a multitude of reasons, one of which being the missing of the 2025-26 budget deadline. "With the missed deadline of the budget and now that I have all accurate and true information surrounding what needs to be done to attempt to solve what can be solved, I do not feel I can personally meet the obligations and the time and work requirement that will be necessary to do so due to my employment and having a new baby at home, " Bernard said. Bernard noted she did not know until May 12 that the budget needed to be completed, stating she was notified while working on matters leading to the upcoming municipal election. "But that's no excuse as my job as recorder I should have made sure to know this and know every aspect of the position, " she said. Bernard became recorder in 2023 as an official write-in candidate. Then-recorder Josh Dodge resigned from the post in April 2023, but his name remained on the ballot for the June municipal election. Dodge received 124 votes, and Bernard had 40. Bernanrd's statement noted the position of town recorder needed to be a full-time position. "My hope is that someone who has the ability and the time to do what needs to be done can be appointed to the position, " Bernard said. "I do not want to be in a position taking up space when I now know what needs to be done and I do not have the ability to fulfill it." An appointment may be unlikely, as the recorder position is on the ballot for the June 10 municipal election that will take place before the next town council meeting.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Runner up in previous election interested in filling vacant council seat in LaSalle
The runner up in the last municipal election in the Town of LaSalle said he's interested in the vacant seat. Brad Krewench ran in the 2022 municipal election and was just over 500 ballots short of making it on council. LaSalle council will be presented with a number of options during their meeting next week to discuss how to fill the seat. The seat was declared vacant earlier this month by council following the passing of longtime councillor Sue Desjarlais. Council will be presented with options such as holding a byelection or appointing someone. The options include appointing the runner up from the previous election, which would be Krewench, or a direct appointment by council. Krewench said he is interested in the seat and believes he would be a good fit for council if they decide to take that route. He said he's learned a lot over the years. 'I've been designing for the last 24 years, I've been in the military for the last 22 years working with children in the cadet program, and I run two successful non-profit organizations right now,' said Krewench. 'And I thought all of those skills that I've learnt over those many years would help me to fill the role in the council position with the Town of LaSalle.' Krewench said he wants to be an advocate for the community. 'I've always thought that the people that sit on council should be the voice of the members of the community, and that's what I really want to bring to the table,' he added. 'I want to make sure that when things are happening in certain areas of the town that those members of the community know what's happening.' He said regardless of who fills the seat, they have big shoes to fill. 'I've personally known Sue for a while, she helped me out with some issues with my own property and the whole bit. I know she had a very big heart for everybody in LaSalle, so whoever gets the chance to fill that seat is going to have some big shoes to fill, that's for sure,' he said. Desjarlais passed away on April 21 from an undisclosed illness. She served the town for nearly 20 years after she was first elected to council in 2006. Council will meet on Tuesday at 6 p.m. - Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber announces he will not seek third term in office
The wait is over. After months of speculation about his political future, Mayor Alan Webber announced Friday he will not seek another term in office. 'After much thought and many heartfelt discussions with family and friends, I've made the decision not to run for a third term as Mayor,' Webber said in a statement. 'It's a hard decision for me because I love this city, and I love my job as Mayor,' he added. He described serving as Santa Fe's mayor as 'the highest honor of my life.' The statement did not include a specific reason why Webber, who had a minor heart attack in February, is choosing not to run again, and he did not respond to a request for comment Friday. However, his decision will leave a void in the already crowded mayoral race, as many of the six candidates who have so far announced their bid in the November municipal election have been positioning themselves in opposition to him. Joe Monahan, writer of the popular blog New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan, said Webber's announcement likely brought 'a collective sigh of relief' to the candidates, along with questions about who will surface as the top contender. 'It looks like a jump ball,' he said of the current state of the race. A rocky tenure Elected to a first term in 2018 as the city's first full-time 'strong' mayor, Webber, 76, handily won reelection in 2021 but has been dogged by criticism throughout much of his tenure, particularly following the summer of 2020, when he called for the removal of the Soldiers' Monument on the Plaza. The obelisk was toppled later that year by activists, sparking a community engagement process on how to handle public art and monuments, as well as an expensive lawsuit against Webber and the city. Critics have levied blame on Webber for what they say is a lack of transparency inside City Hall and a subpar handling of basic city services, such as park maintenance. Residents and business owners in the downtown area and around the Interfaith Community Shelter on Cerrillos Road have also criticized the administration for its handling of homelessness and crime. In recent years, public dissatisfaction against Webber has been so pronounced he has been loudly booed at the Burning of Zozobra and other events, including a 2023 mariachi concert at the Santa Fe Opera. Much of Webber's first term was marked by the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, which dealt a significant blow to the city's tourism-focused economy. Under his leadership, the city also caught up on long-overdue audits, opened a new teen center and completed a master plan for development at the midtown campus. 121024_MGS_Santa Fe Breakfast_001.JPG (copy) Mayor Alan Webber celebrates the Santa Fe Teen Center space as city officials and regional state lawmakers gather in December for an annual pre-legislative session breakfast. Successor's challenges Webber's departure means a new leader will take the reins as the city embarks on a number of ambitious projects, including updates to its Land Use Code and General Plan and the development of the midtown campus on St. Michael's Drive. The new mayor also will be saddled with a number of ongoing challenges, including how to address an aging wastewater treatment plant, how to handle the local impacts of federal funding cuts — some of which specifically target immigrant-friendly cities like Santa Fe — and how to ease the city's housing shortage and rising homelessness. The latter two issues are shaping up to be key issues in the November election, along with public safety. Monahan said he hopes Webber's departure will allow mayoral candidates to have a more substantive conversation on the issues, saying he feels the city is at an 'inflection point' in its response to crime and drugs. City Councilor Michael Garcia, former City Councilors JoAnne Vigil Coppler and Ron Trujillo, former city Finance Director Oscar Rodriguez, former county clerk candidate Letitia Montoya and Tarin Nix, the deputy commissioner of public affairs for the State Land Office, are all running for mayor. Vigil Coppler ran unsuccessfully against Webber in 2021, when he was reelected in a race against her and environmental engineer Alexis Martinez Johnson. As the only current elected official in the race, Garcia is in a good position to try and snag front-runner status, 'if he can run a competent campaign,' Monahan said. 100424 jw teen Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber puts some spin on the ball while playing pingpong with Mathias Ruschkowski during an open house earlier this month to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Santa Fe Teen Center. 'Lasting progress' In his Friday statement, Webber described the city as 'stronger, healthier, more resilient and more just' than when he walked into the Mayor's Office in 2018. 'Justice' was also the theme of his State of the City address last week, when he openly criticized the Trump administration, something he did in his statement Friday as well. When Webber announced his candidacy nearly 10 years ago, he characterized the city as struggling with litany of issues: It was permitting fewer than 200 housing units a year, had yet to open the long-awaited teen center and had been issued a scathing report in 2017 that found the Finance Department had few internal controls and was at extremely high risk of fraud. 'In every one of those areas — and countless others — we made real, significant, and lasting progress,' Webber said in his statement. Among his top accomplishments, he listed putting $3 million a year into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, adding the city to the national Built for Zero initiative to address homelessness, hiring more first responders, launching a guaranteed income pilot program at Santa Fe Community College and pushing sustainable energy and clean water initiatives. Carol Romero-Wirth thanked Webber in a Friday statement for his service as the first full-time mayor. 'His leadership allowed us to tackle the City's considerable structural problems and decades of unaddressed deferred maintenance,' which she said was inherited from 'the previous and outdated governance system.' 'He leaves a strong foundation from which additional improvements can be built,' she said. Romero-Wirth and Councilor Signe Lindell, Webber's closest allies on the dais, are also both not seeking reelection. Webber's departure means there will be at least three new faces on the City Council next year, paving the way for what could potentially be a very different balance of power. 'Dead-end' job? Webber had a long career in business and journalism before entering the realm of politics later in life, serving as editorial director of the Harvard Business Review and in 1995 co-founding technology business magazine Fast Company. Born in St. Louis, Webber spent time in Portland, Ore., and Boston before he and his wife moved to New Mexico in 2003. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2014, finishing second in the Democratic primary election. He fared better in the 2018 Santa Fe mayor's race, beating four other candidates in the city's first ranked-choice election. Webber raised over $500,000 in election contributions in 2021, more than three times as much as his closest competitor and a record for a Santa Fe city election. Not having to compete with Webber's massive war chest may spur more candidates to enter the race or opt for public financing. The application window to qualify for public money began May 5 and closes July 21. Monahan said the fact that the Mayor's Office is a 'dead-end' political job may limit the number of contestants more than anything else, as mayors nationwide increasingly attract criticism for persistent social problems. 'What's stopping people may be just the difficulty of the job,' he said. Mixed reaction Santa Feans had a variety of reactions to Webber's Friday announcement. Bridget Dixson, CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, thanked him for his work. 'We've always had a very strong, collaborative relationship with the mayor and we appreciate his years of service to the city,' she said, a relationship she hopes continues with whoever is next elected. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declined to comment, with spokesperson Michael Coleman only saying the governor is 'not weighing in on the mayor's race at this time.' Lujan Grisham and Webber publicly clashed early last year after Webber mentioned a conversation he had with the governor during a deposition in a lawsuit filed against the city by Union Protectiva de Santa Fe regarding the toppling of the Soldiers' Monument. Lujan Grisham accused him of misrepresenting their discussion and slammed him for what she described as passing the buck. 'There is an obvious leadership problem at the city of Santa Fe,' she said at the time. One of Webber's harshest public critics over the years has been Virgil Vigil, Union Protectiva's president. Vigil said he spoke to Webber briefly at the State of the City about the mayor's recent heart attack and suggested it might be a reason not to run for office again. 'You're going to get another heart attack, and it's going to kill you this time,' he said he warned Webber. Vigil was happy about Friday's news, however: 'It's the best thing to happen to the city of Santa Fe.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Erie City Council race includes six Democrats, including two incumbents, on primary ballot
Six Democrats, including two incumbents, want city voters' support in the race for Erie City Council. Both Jasmine Flores and Maurice Troop, who were elected in 2021, are seeking their second four-year terms on the panel. The field also includes Deonte Cooley; Current Erie County Councilman Andre Horton, who cannot see re-election to County Council because of county term limit rules; Marilyn Pol, a retired deputy city clerk; and Darrel Vandeveld. Four City Council seats are on the ballot in the May 20 municipal primary, and there will be at least two new faces on the seven-member panel in 2026. That is because council member Chuck Nelson and current council President Mel Witherspoon, both Democrats, are not seeking new four-year terms. Nelson is seeking the Democratic nomination for city controller in the primary; Witherspoon is retiring from politics. The Democratic nominees will almost certainly face Republicans Yevet Anderson, Anita Fay, Tina Hiotis and Kimberly Hunter in the Nov. 4 municipal election. The Democratic nominees will be favored, however, because of the city's more than 2-1 Democratic voter registration edge. No Republican has been elected to Erie City Council since 1989, when Denise Robison won a seat on the seven-member panel. Primary candidates: Who are the candidates for city of Erie, county races in the May primary? No Republican has served on City Council since John Evans, a CPA and certified financial planner, did so as an appointee between June 2012 and December 2013. Starting in 2024, City Council members saw their first salary increase since 1986. Council members who've served 12 months or less now earn $6,000 a year; the salary is $8,000 for members who have served between 12 and 24 months. Members who have served between 24 and 36 months receive $10,000 annually; those who've served 36 months or more earn $12,000 a year. Council's president receives an additional $2,000 a year. Here are the Democratic candidates for City Council and their answers to the same question about the position. The Erie Times-News reserved the right to edit the candidates' answers for length and clarity. Age: 32 Occupation: Home health aide for clients with autism/intellectual disabilities Education: PA Cyber Charter School; Great Lakes Institute of Technology Family: In a relationship Question: Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? Answer: I am running for re-election to Erie City Council because I want to continue building on the work we've started. The current administration is collaborating with community partners on a comprehensive housing plan and a parks and recreation plan, two areas I deeply care about for the city. As someone who grew up in Erie, works in healthcare, and comes from a large family, I bring a grounded, everyday perspective to the table. I understand how policy decisions affect working people and families in real life, not just on paper. I'm not afraid to speak up, ask hard questions, and advocate for those whose voices often go unheard. As the eldest of thirteen siblings, a home health aide, and someone who has spent my life in this community, I bring compassion, resilience, and lived experience. Those qualities help me connect with residents and ensure our city council reflects the people it serves. Age: 49 Occupation: School principal Education: Bachelor's degree from Westminster College; Master's degree/ Pennsylvania school principal's certification from Penn West Edinboro Family: Married with three children Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? I am running for Erie City Council because of my passion to serve the community, to be a voice and an ear for the people, and my desire to be a part of the leadership that helps our hometown reach its full potential. A few of the qualities that I would bring to City Council are: selflessness, initiative, ability to lead, self-control, and four years of City Council experience. Age: 39 Occupation: Realtor Education: Bachelor of Arts degree from Clarion University; Master of Science degree in organizational leadership from Mercyhurst University. Family: Single with eight children Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? I am running because I have a passion for the city of Erie and the future that is set to come. Erie needs change and new leadership to build off of what has been set to collaborate with communities that can be a part of Erie's future. There are three areas of focus that I have which are community resources, public safety, and housing. I believe by addressing these areas, we can build our community, address the decline in population, and create new opportunities for our city and the people who reside here. Erie has a great supply of resources for the community that citizens aren't aware of. Some of my plans are to enhance and establish new relationships with existing organizations so that those in need can receive the supportive services that these organizations provide so that their needs can be addressed. People need to feel safe here to want to live here and stay here. Public safety is an issue and neighborhoods need to be safe for its citizens. Creating educational opportunities as well as building relationships with public servants in the area of safety will be vital to making a change in this area. There are concerns with housing in the city of Erie and there seems to be a lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities. Addressing issues with home owners, landlords, and tenants will be beneficial to providing a safer community with safe and affordable housing for all who reside. I believe that relationships need to be established and information needs to be exchanged to address our issues with housing. Safe and affordable housing should be available to all, and everyone needs to understand their rights, roles, and responsibilities in the process. Age: 65 Occupation: Semi-retired laborer current member of Erie County Council. Education: Strong Vincent High School graduate, U.S. Air Force veteran Family: Married Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? I'm running because more than ever, all politics are local. Local politics matter more than ever because of what's happening at the federal level. Local taxing bodies like school boards, Erie City Council and Erie County Council really matter. Experience matters. I have 12 years experience on County Council dealing with budgets and county government (Issues) which makes me incredibly qualified for the position of City Council. I am the most experienced person on either side of the ballot in this race, quite frankly. I can provide leadership and guidance. I can start the job and be effective on Day One. Age: 66 Occupation: Retired city of Erie deputy clerk Education: Twin Tech graduate Family: Three children, four grandchildren Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? I'm running for City Council because I want to bring my experience to council and try to help the city from a different perspective. I worked in various offices over the years starting in Traffic Court, police and fire department, preparing payroll and budgets. I retired as the deputy city clerk where I worked closely with council preparing council meetings, researching resolutions and ordinances and filling in for the city clerk. I want council to work with the administration to focus on long-term solutions for the city and its residents. This can't be done all at once but with knowing the ins and outs of the city it would be more beneficial to help others on council to navigate on what is most important. Age: 64 Occupation: Retired U.S. Army officer, lawyer Education: Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at San Diego; Juris Doctor degree from University of California Law School in San Francisco. Family: Married with four children; five grandchildren. Why are you running, and what specific qualities would make you an effective member of Erie City Council? I'm running to restore logic and reason to the City Council. The city faces enormous problems, from a declining population to an eroding tax base, and I will address these issues through collaboration with private enterprise and by seeking assistance from the various levels of government, as well as by leading the necessary reforms to city government, without which Erie truly cannot survive. I pledge to hold the line on new taxes of any form, from property taxes to the various fees and assessments city residents currently face. Crime remains a problem for the city, to the extent that residents do not feel safe even in their own neighborhoods. I will fight to put more cops on the street. Council as it stands now is divided into competing factions and is not working. I will be a voice for pure common sense on council. I possess the wisdom, education and experience to accomplish these goals. As the leader of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Erie Bureau of Consumer Protection I protected literally thousands of citizens from the depredations of big corporations, and the skills and abilities in negotiation, compromise and standing my ground that I developed there will make me a formidable member of City Council. As the former chief public defender of Erie County, I defended the poor and oppressed, and I will bring the lessons I learned there to my time on council. I'm also a decorated veteran of deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Guantanamo Bay. Despite all the challenges Erie faces, I remain optimistic that its best days are ahead if we change, starting today. Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@ Follow him on X at @ETNflowers. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie City Council race: Meet the Democratic candidates
