Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

The Manteca City Council must decided how to fill the two remaining years of Steve DeBrum’s council seat as he was elected to the mayor’s position. However they choose to do this, there will be controversy. If there is a special election some will complain of the cost to citizens. If an appointment is made critics will have a field day regardless of who is appointed.

All this could have been avoided if the city had policies in place for when a situation such as this arises (which is not unusual). First of all, politics should be set aside. Very simply, if there is a possibility that in a two seat council race that a third may come open (as has just happened because a councilman may move to the mayor’s position) that seat should be filled by the third highest vote getter in the council race.

The reasons make sense. First of all, many citizens voted for that person meaning the person has the most support behind the two newly elected council members. It was the citizens’ choice, not the majority of the current council who may appoint someone due to political beliefs. Also of a special election were called costing the citizens some $50,000 and the third highest vote getter ran and won, it would have been a real waste of money. And consider if a special election were called and only that one person ran with no opposition that would really be criticized.

Now in this past election, as we know, only three individuals ran for two seats so it is obvious that no one else, other than these three individuals, were interested in the job. To appoint someone who didn’t run would seem very political and not what voters intended.

The City Council should act logically, put politics aside, and appoint the third highest vote getter. This would be the only fair thing to do for the citizens who voted in this last election.

D. Nilson

Manteca