BY PEPPER FISHER
Port Angeles – Tuesday’s City Council meeting did not go precisely as planned, at least in terms of the swearing in of all newly-elected councilors and choosing a mayor and deputy mayor.
Freshman city councilmember Mark Hodgson was not in attendance because of a work conflict (he’s employed by the Washington State Patrol), and so was not sworn in along with returning councilors Kate Dexter, LaTrisha Suggs and Drew Schwab.
And when it came time to select the mayor, the remaining 6 council members arrived at a 3/3 tie between the only two seeking that office, Kate Dexter and Navarra Carr.
City Manager Nathan West was asked for his opinion on the way forward.
“I think in the scenario of a tie, the most prudent thing to do is to recognize we have a seventh councilmember, and that it is probably most appropriate to delay the change, or transition, to both Mayor and Deputy Mayor until such time as we can have a full compliment of all seven council members present. I think the design of 7 councilmembers certainly intends that there be an ability to break ties, and my suggestion would be to defer these decisions to the meeting on the 20th.”
City Attorney Bill Bloor was also asked to weigh in on what the statutes say about a tie.
“But in those situations where there is a tie, what it means is, no one is elected. When no one is elected, then the general rule is that the person who is holding the office will continue until another person is elected and confirmed to hold that office. So, if there’s no one elected tonight, then Kate would continue to be the mayor until the next meeting when, hopefully, you will have seven people and there won’t be this problem.”
That means Mayor Kate Dexter will retain her mayoral position at least until January 20.