City Council President Scott Peters won a third term as president for 2008 on Tuesday, Nov. 13, but not before some of his critics spoke out. Two councilmembers voted against him in contrast to his unanimous vote in 2006 and 2007.
Councilman Jim Madaffer nominated Peters, saying he did “an outstanding job” in 2006 and 2007. He described Peters, who represents District 1, as “smart and focused.”
Councilwoman Donna Frye said she agreed “Mr. Peters has done a good job as Council President, but I don’t think he’s the only one.” She said she would support Councilman Tony Young for the job if Peters did not win the necessary five votes.
Young represents District 4 and is currently President Pro Tem, which means he leads the council when Peters is absent or has to recuse himself for legal reasons from a vote.
Young said he was disturbed when Frye continually seeks more information on items from Mayor Jerry Sanders and often does not get any response. Young said if he were president, he would meet with Sanders to ask him to be more accessible to Frye. Following that comment Frye mentioned that she would support Young if the vote for Peters failed.
The council voted 6-2 in favor of Peters.
Frye and Young voted no.
Supporting Peters were Councilmembers Kevin Faulconer, Toni Atkins, Ben Hueso, Brian Maienschein, Madaffer, and, of course, Peters.
Phil Hart urged the council to consider someone else, saying the job was supposed to have been rotated among councilmembers following the change in city government to a strong mayor system that the voters passed in 2004.
Hud Collins, Jarvis Ross and other members of the public told the council that Peters should step down and let someone else do it, since he is the only person to have ever held the job as council president that was created by the change in government.
Collins and Ross said four councilmembers will be termed out of office at the end of 2008, and they should give up some committee and other leadership roles to give the others experience. At the end of 2008, Atkins, Peters, Madaffer and Maienschein will leave office.
“We have a lot of work to do,” said Atkins. “Don’t count the four of us out yet.”
Madaffer said the new committee chairpersons for 2008 should be given to Hueso, Faulconer, Young and Frye. The new committee chairpersons will be selected later this month. Frye has served as chairperson for the Natural Resources & Culture Committee for the last two years and Faulconer heads the Audit Committee.