Lightner schedules re-vote for Council presidency for Tuesday

At her first meeting Monday, newly elected Council President Sherri Lightner called for a re-vote on who should be elected Council president on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., saying there were concerns that councilmembers discussed who they would vote for before the Dec. 10 vote that ousted Todd Gloria for a third term.

The Brown Act generally prohibits office holders from discussing city business with each other before board or City Council meetings and this was cited by Lightner as a reason for the re-vote.

It has been reported that Republican members of the City Council had discussed backing Lightner, a Democrat, to be Council president instead of Gloria, who is also a Democrat who was interim mayor and represents District Three. Gloria lost his third term by one vote.

“There have been concerns raised about potential Brown Act violations among councilmembers who may have discussed the Council president vote in advance of the hearing last Wednesday,” began Lightner on Monday at the start of the Council meeting.

“In an abundance of caution, I am calling a special meeting for tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. to request a re-vote on the selection of Council president for 2015,” announced Lightner.

“We will also take up the appointments to Council committees and the appointments to outside organizations at this special meeting,” said Lightner.

Deputy City Attorney Mary Nuesca then said this to councilmembers: “In light of the allegations, we would strongly advise that each of you and your staff members refrain from discussing the vote that will take place tomorrow. Thank you.”

No one else said anything.

It is probably unlikely the re-vote will change anything, but since Gloria lost by one vote, a change of one vote could re-elect him as Council president.

Lightner and the four Republicans, Lorie Zapf, Scott Sherman, Mark Kersey and Chris Cate, voted against Gloria for a third term in the one hour 38-minute meeting. Democrats David Alvarez, Marti Emerald, Myrtle Cole and Gloria voted for Gloria.

Following the 5-4 vote against Gloria, Emerald then made a motion to nominate Lightner, and Zapf seconded the motion. Lightner was then elected president in a 7-2 vote, with Gloria and Alvarez dissenting.