Troy City Council Calls Special Meeting on Mayoral Replacement Procedure

Troy City Council will meet this Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the council boardroom at Troy City Hall to review and discuss "the conflicting requirements of the Troy Charter and State Election Law regarding the appointment of a replacement of the Mayor position and the process to fill that position's remaining term (until November 2015)."

The purpose of the meeting is also "to discuss and determine whether an alternate course of action needs to be pursued."

In a letter sent Friday to Troy City Attorney Lori Grigg Bluhm, state Director of Elections Christopher Thomas writes: "It is the position of the Bureau of Elections that the City is required to conduct a special election to fill the vacancy on Feb. 26, 2013."

However, Attorney Bluhm said having a special election so soon would violate City Charter, which requires potential candidates to file a petition signed by at least 60 registered electors of the City "on or before 4 o’clock p.m. of the one hundredth (100th) day preceding the next election," according to the Charter.

“We are not comfortable having a February election because that would require us to violate some of our charter provisions," Bluhm said. "It's not enough notice."

The meeting was called at the request of councilmen Wade Fleming and Dave Henderson.

On Nov. 12, council chose Acting Mayor Dane Slater to serve as mayor until the Nov. 5, 2013, city election after Janice Daniels was recalled Nov. 6. Councilwoman Maureen McGinnis and Councilman Wade Fleming also expressed interest in the position.

Council has not yet voted on the resolution to officially appoint Slater mayor for the next year, though the city is currently accepting applications for the open city council seat that would be left vacant by Slater.

Editor's Note: The third and fourth paragraphs were added Monday night.

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