On Thursday, at a special Town Council meeting, Scott Safford was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by Bill Veach when he quit at the end of 2023. Safford will be sworn in at the next Town Council meeting on February 20th.
It only took one vote this time and the vote was unanimous (4-0). James Boan spoke at public comment before the vote and withdrew from consideration. Boan said the vote had become a distraction to the priority of rebuilding the island. Boan was Mayor Dan Allers’ vote.
Last week, three votes produced the same results; 2 votes for Scott Safford (Atterholt and Woodson), 1 vote for James Boan (Allers) and 1 vote for Ed Schoonover (King). Neither Boan or Schoonover had a path to 3 votes, which is what was needed to be appointed.
Town Attorney Becky Vose provided the council with new information that had to do with the annual millage rate vote. Information that would have been nice for the council to have before the 3 votes last Monday. Vose told the council there may be a scenario, during a millage rate increase vote, where, due to state law, 5 votes are needed. That information was enough to flip King to Safford. And when Boan bowed out, the deal was sealed for a unanimous vote.
Safford leaves an empty seat on the Local Planning, which is just as important as the Town Council when it comes to the upcoming development proposals. Safford has to officially resign from the LPA before he is sworn in. Commenting after his 4-0 victory, Safford said, “I was called to serve.”
Safford does not plan to run for the seat in November when the seat is up for election, in addition to the seats now occupied by Mayor Allers and Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt. John King and Karen Woodson were elected in November of 2022. Council seats are 4 years.