In a surprise move Saturday, School Board member Beth Daugherty took herself out of the running for the open Township
Committee seat, prompting the TC members to unanimously approve the appointment of former Mayor Jerry Ryan to fill the post
left vacant by the resignation of Ken Pettis.
“You’ll be pleased to hear I’m speechless,” Ryan said during the meeting. “I really
didn’t expect to hear this this morning and I am really, really filled with gratitude.”
Ryan was
sworn in soon after receiving a 4-0 vote from the remaining TC members. Even his wife could not attend because she had another
appointment, he said.
Daugherty said she chose to withdraw her name because
she did not want the process to replace Pettis to turn divisive. “We are losing valuable time on this selection process,”
she said. “Moreover, while it has been congenial to date. The process has the potential to become divisive, both now
and during the upcoming primary.” Daugherty added
that she believes Ryan can be “an effective member” of the TC and added that she wants to continue on the school
board “especially given some of the tough issues we face there.”
The Township Committee had remained deadlocked
as recently as Tuesday, when it voted, 2-2, with TC member Lester Lewis-Powder and Mayor Vic De Luca voting for Ryan, while
Fred Profeta and TC Member Kathleen Leventhal cast votes for Daugherty. In his remarks
Saturday, Profeta noted some of the criticism the TC had received for its deadlock, including from Maplewoodian.com, which
would have sent the decision back to the Township Democratic Committee if no change had occurred.
“As
far as I am concerned, tying on this issue has nothing to do with collegiality,” Profeta said. “What does have
to do with collegiality is the way we dealt with this process.” De Luca agreed,
adding “It was useful to tie at that point because it got al of us to think about the different qualities of each candidate.”
Pettis vacated his seat New Year’s Eve. His
replacement, Ryan, will finish the last year of his term, which ends on Dec. 31, 2009.
Ryan, Daugherty and George Berkeley were the three finalists recommended by the Maplewood Democratic Committee to
replace Pettis.
They came from a slate of six candidates who submitted their names
after Pettis resigned. Ryan will be formally sworn in at the next regular
TC meeting on Feb. 3
