The Temecula City Council last week voted against filling the District 1 vacancy by appointment, choosing to leave the seat empty until the November election.
“I think that the voters need to vote for who sits in that seat,” Councilmember Zak Schwank said. “I think that’s how this system works. I don’t live in District 1, and while I recognize I have the legal authority to appoint someone, I’m struggling with appointing someone to a district with thousands of people that I don’t know.”
Councilmember Jessica Alexander echoed Shwank’s concerns about elected officials who don’t live in the district making decisions on behalf of those residents, stating that it was also her preference to allow the voters to choose.
“I think the number one thing for me would be to take no action at this point in time and just wait and allow the voters to choose who they want to have as their representation in November,” Councilmember Jessica Alexander said.
Mayor James “Stew” Stewart agreed with both Schwank and Alexander, stating that he has “issues” with appointments.
“I don’t think that is the best way to give the citizens their due,” he said. “And so, I would lean towards let’s just leave it vacant and let the citizens decide in November.”
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The only member of the council to speak in favor of appointment was Mayor Pro-Tem Brenden Kalfus, who said he understood the very real concerns brought up by the rest of the council, but felt it was in the best interest of the city to collect applications and fill the seat by appointment.
“For me personally, right now, I’m leaning in again towards the appointment after the application process,” he said. “I think appointing someone just straight off the gate here tonight wouldn’t give equal opportunity to those in District 1 that are looking to fill that seat, but it’s a difficult decision.”
Ultimately the council voted 3-1 to take no action and leave the seat vacant until the November election, in which residents of District 1 can elect someone to the seat for the remaining two years of former Councilmember Curtis Brown’s term.
Brown submitted his letter of resignation last month citing the demands of his job as a federal coordinating officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency currently deployed in Maui for the Lahaina disaster recovery effort.
“I am confident that my decision to resign is the best course of action for me, and I am grateful for the understanding and support of those who have been part of this journey with me,” Brown said in his resignation letter. “I am grateful for the experiences, the friendships, and the lessons learned during my time in office, and I am optimistic about the bright future that lies ahead for Temecula.”
City Clerk Randi Johl-Olson said the city would be including additional information on its website for District 1 residents to help them find the right person to address any concerns that might come up ahead of the election.
A video of the meeting can be found here on the city’s YouTube channel.
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