A potential 2-2 deadlock on the Township Committee over the appointment of a replacement for Ken Pettis may be forming
as Mayor Vic De Luca and Committee member Lester Lewis-Powder initially show support for former Mayor Jerry Ryan and Fred
Profeta and Kathleen Leventhal are lining up behind School Board Member Beth Daugherty.
Ryan, Daugherty and George Berkeley are the three finalists recommended by the
Maplewood Democratic Committee to replace Pettis on the Township Committee after a Saturday meeting. The three finalists
were recommended by the committee‘s nominating panel on Thursday and had to get approval from the entire Maplewood Democratic
Committee, which met Saturday morning to formally decide. Those three will now be put forward to the Township Committee for
a final choice.
Discussions have indicated that the factions are forming behind Ryan and Daugherty, although
Profeta said he believes an agreement can be reached among the TC members. “We are going to do the best we can to avoid
that,” he said about a deadlock, adding that at Saturday’s meeting, “I absorbed all of the comments, and
listened to the candidates. I will work to decide this with my colleagues.” Leventhal adds: “I am leaning
toward Beth Daugherty, but I am continuing to talk to people, it is a difficult choice.”
It is unclear when the Township Committee would meet to choose from among the
three finalists, Profeta said. Its next regular meeting is set for Jan. 20. But it has until the end of January to make a
choice. If the TC cannot choose a replacement, the decision goes back to the 42-person Democratic Committee, which could
well end with its own 21-21 deadlock.
If that occurs, Pettis’ seat would remain empty until the end of his current
term at the end of 2009. Another element of controversy may be the decision by the TC to discuss and make its final
choice to replace Pettis in closed meetings. Profeta said the township attorney has advised the members that they are allowed
to do so. “We are entitled to discuss this in a caucus form,” Profeta said. “Because it is a political decision.”
Although the
TC must vote on the choice in public, it is not required to hold any discussions in public or provide a public comment opportunity
prior to the vote. That may not sit well with some residents, who have already e-mailed Maplewoodian.com with
their opposition to such a move.
Ryan, Daugherty and Berkeley were among six candidates who submitted their names to fill the
Pettis seat following his Dec. 31 resignation. The other three were Amy Paternite, Steve Gussen and J. Todd Warner.
A
seventh candidate, Eugene McNany, had also sought to be considered, but withdrew his name Tuesday. Whoever is chosen
by the TC to replace Pettis will serve the remaining year of his current term.
