Since Joe Soria will become mayor, Wellington council must appoint someone to fill his vacancy
By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Yogi Berra, an old New York Yankee player and manager, used to say, “It ain’t over til it’s over.”
That includes the Wellington City Council 2023 election.
Joe Soria.
The new council will be inducted into the council chambers next Tuesday at the Dec. 5 meeting. Joe Soria will become mayor, replacing Jim Valentine. The new council members being inducted will include Cindy Antonich, Mike Westmoreland (an incumbent), and Jim Valentine (switching from mayor to council). However, there is one hitch.
There will be a vacancy on council. Because Soria became mayor, he will be leaving his post as a councilman, thus leaving the position open. Here is what is going to happen next:
•Upon official notice of a vacancy, public notice will be made of a 15-day application period for the position.
•The governing body shall meet and review all applications submitted by eligible electors for the vacant position with no binding action taken.
•At the first regular meeting of the governing body after review of the applications, the Mayor and city council shall appoint an applicant of the ward/district to fill the vacant council member position for the balance of the unexpired term.
