Who will be Mayor?
by Duane Williams, KLCB 1230 AM Libby News Radio
November 10, 2008
With the election of Libby Mayor Tony Berget to the seat of Lincoln County Commissioner, and the expected resignation of current commissioner, Rita Windom, comes the vacancy of the Libby Mayor’s chair.
The protocol is the President of the City Council, Charlene Leckrone, will fill the position for 30 days, in which time, the Council must appoint a new Mayor. The council could appoint Lekrone, or any member of the council, or any resident of the city limits.
At the moment, the two most likely candidates are Leckone, or councilman Doug Roll.
The potential fly in the ointment is at the county.
Rita Windom has said she will resign November 15th, allowing the commissioners to appoint elected Tony Berget. But Commissioners Marianne Roose and John Konzen can appoint someone else, if they wish, to fill Windom’s seat until January 1. They do not have to choose Berget just because he is commissioner-elect and the logical choice. And that is exactly what happened following the primary election when Berget was elected the de facto commissioner by 42 votes in a primary election with no Democrat candidate and six Republicans. At the time Windom had tendered her resignation for September 30th, which she withdrew after Konzen refused to second Marianne Roose’s motion to appoint Berget, on the grounds that the voters should decide when second place finisher Jerry Okonski decided to run a write-in campaign in the General election
The voters did, indeed decide, reaffirming Berget over Okonski by a two-to-one vote.
That opens of whole new can of political worms.
It would be expected that should the commissioners choose to appoint someone other than Berget, Windom would pull her resignation and remain in office until January, as opposed to appointing someone for less than 60 days.
The election canvas is scheduled for Wednesday at the Lincoln County Courthouse. _________________________________________
Story by Duane Williams, KLCB 1230 AM Libby News Radio, www.todaysbestcountryonline
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