How should Asheville City Council fill a board vacancy?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

The Mountain Xpress has a story about Asheville City Council being set to discuss how to fill council vacancies. One is likely to come up next month when Councilwoman Holly Jones wins a seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.

From the Xpress:

Council’s recent tradition has been to appoint, by Council vote, the fourth-highest vote getter in the most recent Council election to fill the vacant seat. (Three Council members are elected every two years for staggered four-year terms.) That was the case with Bryan Freeborn, who was appointed in 2005 to finish Terry Bellamy‘s term when she advanced to the mayor’s seat. But there has never been an actual policy in place, and a few Council members have expressed misgivings about the fourth-place method.

A new proposal, put forth by the Boards and Commissions subcommittee chaired by Vice Mayor Jan Davis, would treat the appointment like any commission appointment — with Council advertising for applications, conducting interviews and finally making a selection. Council is set to discuss that possibility at its Oct. 14 meeting.

It should make for an interesting discussion. If council is going to move away from appointing the fourth-highest vote-getter, then I think it should hold a special election to fill a vacancy. I don’t think it should be filled by appointment.
Bryan Freeborn told Ashvegas a month ago that he wouldn’t be interested in an appointment. And Scrutiny Hooligans has had some good discussion on this topic.

What do you think?