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Opinion

James: The Town Council vacancy

Posted

I was disappointed with the recent action of the Town Council in not filling the vacancy on council created by Sharron Grzybowski's departure.

Gayle Earle was a clear winner in the Town Council election in July and should have been appointed. Ginny Dickey first joined the council after a vacancy was created by the untimely death of a serving council member because she was the highest vote getter in the then recent Town Council election. To not support the appointment of a duly elected person, seemingly because that person was of the opposite political party, is nothing but hypocrisy.

Although Town Council and mayor positions are officially non-partisan, we also know that every politician agrees more with one political party than the other and that their political beliefs and affiliations influence their decisions and help voters decide if they are the right person to serve. Ginny was a well-known Democrat when elected to council. The mayor at the time she was appointed was a well-known Republican and knew that the two would disagree on various issues before council, yet she was appointed anyway. That should have happened this time.

Not appointing the only clear winner in the July election is another blight on the current council's record. It is not too late to do the right thing at the Oct. 1 council meeting, if the subject is again placed on the agenda - the mayor can do that by herself if she wants to.

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