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A moment of silence for Worrell, then council considers successor
by Rick DeClue · News · July 02, 2015
Monday, former Mayor Mike Quinlan led the West Branch City Council, staff and visitors in a moment of silence for the late Mayor Mark Worrell.
Worrell’s wife, Cathy, also attended as Quinlan expressed his gratitude for Worrell’s work as a council member during Quinlan’s own term, and Worrell’s long, dedicated career in service to the city.
Worrell’s seat at the center of the council table was left vacant, as Mayor Pro Tem Colton Miller presided from his usual seat to Worrell’s right.
After concluding much of the night’s agenda, City Attorney Kevin Olson provided an outline of options for the council as it considers how to select a new mayor.
The two primary options are for the council to appoint a new mayor within 60 days, or hold a special election in advance of the Nov. 3 general election. A special election would cost the city between $3,000 and $5,000.
After that, Olson said, “it gets a little complicated.”
In either case, the November election would determine who would fill the remaining two years of Mayor Worrell’s term. Whoever is elected as mayor in November would be seated in the first meeting after the November vote is certified by Cedar County Auditors, rather than waiting until January.
An appointment process must be completed by the council’s Aug. 3 meeting, allowing time for public notice.
A special election entails a longer process through the auditor’s office, and would probably be held in September.
In response to a question from council members Tim Shields and Mary Beth Stevenson, Olson said that in the case of an appointment of a current council member, that member would need to resign their council seat in order to be appointed mayor.
“You cannot serve as both mayor and council member,” Olson said. “The council would then proceed with an appointed mayor and four council members until the November election.”
Along with the mayor’s remaining two years, three council member seats are up for election in November. These are the seats currently held by Colton Miller, Jordan Ellyson and Brian Pierce, who is finishing the two-year remainder of Worrell’s former council seat, which had been previously held by Dick Stoolman.
The council’s next meeting is scheduled for July 20.
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