MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FEBRUARY 3, 2025
6:00 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER: @ 6:00 PM
II. ROLL CALL: Murakami, Vela, Dooley, and Jackson all present.
III. PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE:
IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS: “As a special meeting, public participation is limited only to those items listed on the agent. If your comments are not related to a matter listed on this agenda, please address the City Council at the next regular meeting. The City Council has the right to reasonably limit the duration of each speaker to three minutes. Speakers may not cede their time.”
V. AGENDA APPROVAL: Motion made by Jackson, seconded by Vela. All Ayes.
VI. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Consideration of approval of applicants to be interviewed to fill vacant council seat. The applicants interviewed as follows: Gary Watson, Linda Susie Clark, Greg Johnson, John McCarthy, Seth Horn, and Micah Nichols. Voting ballots as follows: Vela for John McCarthy, Jackson for John McCarthy, Murakami not voting for anyone, and Dooley is not voting for anyone. Murakami turned over to Andrew Jared to explain why there would be no more votes. Jackson doesn’t understand because we had lots of good candidates. Vela asked about a special election. Murakami stated that we are at a deadlock and asking Andrew what the process would be moving forward. Andrew came on. Murakami explained that they were apparently deadlocked because there are two council members that are not voting for anyone and two council members that voted for the same individual which means they cannot have three positive votes for anyone. Murakami asked Andrew moving forward, what is the process? Andrew explained that this requires three affirmative votes for someone to be affirmed as the replacement candidate. Andrew continues that under the government code there are two ways that you could proceed with voting in a vacancy. One is through the appointment process the other is through the election process. The government code allows for those two process fees to happen. You selected the first process so at this point there is nothing in the government code that says the city council has to select someone based on just applying and it is also silent on whether an election must happen now or an election can even happen.
Andrew thinks that they could call for a special election, but it is unclear whether or not you can do that.
Vela asks Andrew what is unclear about getting a special election? Vela continues it is very obvious what is going on here and I believe we need a special election. We need this fifth person to be able to run this city and we have two members that did not vote, which tells me that they are not interested in keeping the city running correctly. So, we need a special election. Andrew asked Murakami if he wanted him to continue explaining the situation. Murakami said yes. Andrew continues there is nothing in government code that says you must go to an election at this point and there is nothing that says you can prevent it either. Murakami interrupts and says he has a quick question; so, we would have to have a successful motion to have a special election in order to have a special election at this point, correct? Andrew answers yes, let me explain the process for that in order to put that on the special election. It is my interpretation, again, the code goes silent on this. That you would have to take action to select putting this item on the ballot and to that process I am not sure if it requires a resolution or not. At any rate council actually requires the council move to prove to take that action and in doing so it would be at next available special election date. The staff report outlines when those dates are. The election was very clear that there are five days a year that can happen and only two of those are available this year, one of them is in March and the other is in November of this year. The March date is unavailable because of the read time of fourteen days that needs to happen before the election to give people the chance to put their names on the ballot and also allow the election official to process the ballots and prepare the ballot. If the council were to put name on the ballot it could possibly be for November 4, 2025. Again, there is nothing in the government code that says specifically that it is allowed but there is nothing that says that its not allowed either. Murakami asks if we call the special election regardless if its in November or not it still costs the city 10 to 15 thousand dollars? Vela states recast your vote. Murakami I am speaking to the attorney excuse me, please keep the quorum, would it still cost us for the special election if we elected. If it’s in November, would it still cost us for a special election? Andrew said yes, you would still have to pay for the election, nothing has changed in thar regard. Murakami asks if we elect to do nothing what happens? Andrew responds if you elect to do nothing then it stands as it is. You don’t have a process and there is no state process under the law that says how this is otherwise fixed. Murakami then says so I guess the next thing would be if whether or not we could have a successful motion to have a special election which would be in November or do nothing. And if we do nothing then it would be status quo until the following November of 2026, is that correct? Andrew yes, you would have no choice but to focus on the ballot for November of 2026.
And at that point you accrue the cost of the launch. Murakami then says either A, we have a motion to have a special election and its successful or not or we do nothing. That is the choice. Vela makes the motion for a special election. Seconded by Jackson. All apposed, Murakami. Murakami spoke for Dooley stating that she abstained. Vela pointed out that Dooley did not speak and that Murakami spoke for her.
Murakami stated that it was a failed motion and no action can take place. Murakami continues so, no action will take place and that is the end of new business so can I get a motion to adjourn please? VII. ADJOURN: @6:54 PM
Motion made by Dooley, seconded by Murakami. All Ayes.