ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Council has outlined how it wants to fill the seat Kim Roney will leave behind when she becomes mayor, and the person who finished fourth in last week’s election has her support.
During a Policy, Finance and Infrastructure Committee work session Tuesday, Nov. 10, four council members expressed support for a nomination process rather than asking interested residents to submit applications or participate in interviews.
The plan calls for nominations to begin Dec. 8, when the newly elected council takes office. Members could choose Roney’s replacement that same night, although that decision will be up to the incoming council.
Jeffrey Burroughs finished fourth in the Nov. 3 City Council election with 17,337 votes, or 15.40% of the total, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Drew Ball, Maggie Ullman Berthiaume and Vice Mayor S. Antanette Mosley won the three available seats.
Roney told her colleagues Tuesday that she believes the election results should help determine who fills her seat.
“I’ve heard really loud and clear from the public,” Roney said. “I do support the fourth-place vote-getter in the vacancy of the seat.”
She noted that the election had just taken place and suggested the situation might be different if the vacancy occurred farther from an election.
Her endorsement marked a change from the Nov. 5 agenda briefing, when she raised concerns about appearing to favor a particular candidate before Council had agreed on a selection process.
Council members had been weighing several options, including accepting applications from interested residents, conducting interviews or allowing members to nominate candidates directly.
The discussion Tuesday also showed interest in filling the seat quickly rather than leaving it vacant for several meetings.
What happens Dec. 8?
City Attorney Brad Branham explained that Roney’s seat will not officially become vacant until she is sworn in as mayor.
That means the current council can discuss how it wants the appointment handled, but the new council will make the final decision.
The Dec. 8 meeting will be the council’s organizational meeting, when newly elected members take their oaths of office and a vice mayor is selected.
Branham recommended opening nominations after those steps are completed.
Under the council’s rules, each member can nominate someone, and nominations do not require a second. Once nominations close, members can begin voting.
Several council members said they would like to complete the process that night so the new council can get to work with a full membership.
But Branham reminded them that the incoming council will have the authority to change the process or decide when to vote.
Whoever is selected will serve the remainder of Roney’s council term, which runs through 2028.
Should the fourth-place finisher get the seat?
The question of who should replace Roney has drawn attention since she defeated Mayor Esther Manheimer in the Nov. 3 election.
An effort called “Go Forth With The Fourth” has encouraged residents to contact council members and support appointing Burroughs, arguing that the election results should guide the decision.
Supporters of that approach say voters have already had their say, and the fourth-place finisher should get the opportunity to serve.
Others have favored an open application process that would allow qualified Asheville residents to seek the appointment, whether or not they ran in the election.
The issue also came up during Tuesday evening’s regular City Council meeting, where residents spoke in support of appointing the fourth-place finisher.
No appointment has been made, and Burroughs is not guaranteed the seat. The incoming council could choose Roney’s replacement Dec. 8 or take more time to make its decision.