A smaller field of voters turned out to the polls April 3 in a run-off election to determine the last of five open seats on the Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB).
Though all five seats have been filled, the board must now decide how to fill another vacancy created by the resignation of former board member Katheryn Rhodes.
Rhodes left the board following the initial March 20 election to work with other community groups in the city. She resigned March 21.
PCPB voters elected Shelly Kilbourn McGee, who nudged out the board’s Airport Committee chair, Lance Murphy.
Nearly 460 voters handed McGee a 246-count victory over Murphy’s 212 votes. McGee joins J. Scott Brown, Jim Lester, Charles Mellor and Donna Kaup as board members-elect.
Only two candidates faced off on the run-off election because four candidates on the original March 20 ballot withdrew from the race.
Not included on the ballot this time around were incumbents Geoff Page, Mignon Scherer and Patti Barbee-Rank and challenger Harris Steiner.
A dust-up over who would remain on the ballot just hours before the election caused city officials ” at the recommendation of the City Attorney’s Office ” to step in.
“The candidates requested that their names be withdrawn and the city accommodated that request,” said Max Stalheim of the city’s Planning and Community Investment Planning Department. “I think ultimately it made for a clearer ballot and certainly that’s going to assist the electorate.”
PCPB Election Committee chair Cal Jones, however, said the city shouldn’t have interfered with the election process without first consulting the entire board. Though the candidates told Jones they wanted out of the race, he said he refused to confirm that for the city.
“They [city officials] have commandeered the election process and procedures without the board’s consent or the electorate’s consent,” he said.
Jones said changing the ballot in the middle of an election is unfair to voters.
Conversely, Deputy City Attorney Alex Sachs said the election went fairly well with no reports of electioneering.
Still, questions remain because of an attempt by Page ” the exiting PCPB chair ” to declare both the March 20 vote and April 3 run-off elections illegal. As a result of Page’s decision, Sachs said the City Attorney’s Office would be looking into allegations of impropriety lodged by Page.
With the results of the two recent elections potentially in limbo, yet another vote may be in store for Peninsula voters.
In a memorandum to board members, the City Attorney’s Office recommended a special election be held to fill the vacancy left by Rhodes.
If the board decides to follow the city attorney’s recommendation this year, ballots could be cast yet again sometime soon.
The Peninsula Community Planning Board advises the city on land use and development issues on the Peninsula.
For more information, visit www.pcpb.net.