by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The dates of the local elections are one step closer to being in the hands of the electorate.
Tuesday, the City Council Rules Committee voted 6-0 in favor of a bill that will put moving the spring 2015 election to fall 2015 on the ballot as a referendum this fall.
If approved by voters, the referendum would amend the City Charter and affect the terms of those elected next year and in 2015.
The ordinance is sponsored by Council President Richard Clark and Council Vice President Jack Webb, who is Council president-elect.
According to the language of the ordinance, those elected next spring will get a one-time, six-month extension on their terms and those elected in 2015 won’t take office until Jan. 1, 2016.
“I urge everyone to support this,” said Webb, adding he believes the bill addresses all of the concerns brought up regarding previous election legislation.
Rules member Michael Corrigan slightly exaggerated the number of times the issue has come up.
“Of the 19 changes to the election bill, this is the first one I can support,” said Corrigan.
Webb also brought up the possibility of extending the term of the Council president for the 2011-12 Council year. Such a change would require a modification of the Council rules.
“The Council president after me would serve one and-a-half years as a one-shot deal,” said Webb, who may ask that such language be added to the bill Tuesday or he’ll address the issue as a separate matter in the future.
Rules member Bill Bishop said the election referendum and Council rules modification should be separate entities.
“This bill has to do with an election and not a Council rule,” he said. “It’s an administrative function of City Council and has nothing to do with when an election will be held.”
Rules Chair Art Shad favors including the Council president language in the referendum.
“When they vote on the referendum, it would be nice to have everything on the table,” he said. “It might be important to some constituents and affect their vote up or down.”
Also at the Rules Committee meeting, Cindy Laquidara was confirmed as General Counsel and will take over when current General Counsel Rick Mullaney resigns. Mullaney has filed to run for mayor next year.
Webb, who is an attorney, had just one question for Laquidara, who is currently the chief deputy general counsel.
“Are you really sure you want this?” he said.
Laquidara confirmed she does, indeed, want the job, which pays between $152,558 and $244,092 annually. The City Charter requires Council to fill the position if the vacancy is going to occur more than a year before the expiration of the current mayoral term.
Laquidara has been with the general counsel’s office since 1998 and heads the Litigation Department.
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