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Council sets vote to fill vacancy

Posted on November 12, 2009 by Staff

Council sets
By Kirk Ross, Staff Writer

The town council took another step toward filling a seat left vacant when Bill Strom resigned in August.

At its meeting Monday night at Town Hall, the council approved a proposal introduced by recently re-elected council member Laurin Easthom to schedule a special meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9 to hear presentations from those who have applied for the seat, with a vote on the replacement at another special meeting on Dec. 14.

The new council, along with Mayor-elect Mark Kleinschmidt, is to be sworn in on Monday, Dec. 7. Easthom proposed that the review of the candidates come as quickly after the swearing-in as possible.

Replacing Strom has been a politically contentious issue since his resignation on Aug. 1. The timing of the resignation did not allow the open seat to be placed on the ballot in this year’s election.

Council member Matt Czajkowski, who narrowly lost the mayor’s race, has suggested that the council appoint the fifth-place finisher in the election, a position that has not drawn the open backing of others on the board.

Several members of the council have expressed concern that the defeat of council member Jim Merritt in this month’s election leaves the council without a black colleague for the first time in recent memory.

In all, 12 residents applied for the seat, including four candidates on the ballot in the recent election and two former council members. Of those who ran for council, Penny Rich and Gene Pease were elected and won’t be considered for the seat. The remaining applicants include:

• Planning board member Jason Baker;
• Northside resident and planning board member Donna Bell;
• Former council member Joe Capowski;
• Council candidate Jon DeHart;
• Brock Page, a lawyer;
• Former council member Lee Pavao;
• Matt Pohlman, the fifth-place finisher in the recent election;
• Larkspur resident Joshua Ravitch;
• Council candidate Will Raymond; and
• Nunn Street resident Aaron Shah.

In other action Monday night, the council approved a $1-per-year, 99-year lease for a portion of the Wallace Parking Deck on Rosemary Street that would allow Kidzu to construct a children’s museum on the deck.

The lease, valued at roughly $4 million, clears the way for Kidzu to speed up its fundraising efforts for the building.

Prior to the vote, Kidzu supporters said they appreciated the town’s cooperation in helping expand the museum’s operations.

Kidzu Executive Director Cathy Maris said the museum would become “a family-centered anchor” that would help the town achieve its goal of revitalizing downtown.
“What better way to energize our downtown than with young children and their families,” she said, adding that the move also would serve the town by fostering in its children a special bond with downtown.

Council member Jim Ward said he supported the project and urged Kidzu leaders to make sure the building planned for the site be as green as possible.

“Don’t build a 20th-century building for the kids,” he said.

Once site and building plans are completed, Kidzu will still need final approval by the council. On Wednesday, the organization announced that it has set up a website at newkidzu.org to seek public input.

Also at the meeting, the board received a report on improvements and rehabilitation work to affordable housing at Culbreth Park. Last year, the council approved $292,400 for the rehabilitation project. A report by the Community Home Trust, which managed the project, said the work had been completed on time and under budget by $40,000.

The council also appointed Joy Steinberg and Paulette Bekolo to the town’s Sustainability Committee and Jan Kyle Spivey to the Stormwater Management Utility Advisory Board.

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