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JC officials looking at how to fill Roe’s seat

Mayor Phil Roe’s apparent win in the 1st Congressional District’s Republican primary has created a conundrum for the Johnson City Commission.

Though the general election isn’t until November, and no Democrat has won the seat in more than 100 years, city officials are working to determine how they will fill Roe’s unexpired term on the commission.

Roe’s term will have two years remaining after the April city election.

“The City Charter is pretty clear in stating that we have to hold an election to fill an unexpired term,” City Manager Pete Peterson said.

“The commission cannot make an appointment to replace Mayor Roe.”

What isn’t clear is the process the city must take to have that election.

Should Roe defeat Kingsport Democrat Rob Russell in November, as expected, he wouldn’t actually take his seat in Congress until January, meaning his resignation from the commission could come about 90 days prior to the already scheduled city election.

The seats held by Vice Mayor Jane Myron and Commissioner Steve Darden, currently in his second term, will expire in May. It’s likely another seat, with a two-year term limit, will be added to the ballot along with those seats.

However, that scenario isn’t set in stone, Peterson said.

“We have been in contact with the state election coordinator’s office to get some guidance on how to properly fill the vacancy on our City Commission, should we have a vacancy,” Peterson said. “This is a very important step we are about to take and we want to make absolutely sure we are taking it in the proper fashion.”

Washington County Elections Administrator Connie Sinks said several options are in play, including a potential resignation by Roe in the near future, leaving time to add the unexpired commission term to the November general election ballot.

“It would cost the city a lot of money to hold a special election for one seat,” Sinks said. “I’d say they would be looking at no less than $75,000.”

However, Roe plans to remain on the commission until January.

“I’ve been campaigning while I’ve been on the commission for six months now. Actually, with this next one, I will have run five campaigns in five years,” Roe said. “I’ll work hard because I’m not taking anything for granted, but this (general election) campaign won’t be nearly as intense as what we just finished.”

Upon Roe’s resignation, Myron would take the mantle of mayor, a title she would, in all likelihood, assume should she be re-elected in April.

“We’ll have to figure out the mechanics of who would run for the four-year terms and who would run for the two-year term,” Peterson said.

“The biggest thing might be that we could have a majority of the commission turn over for two consecutive elections.”

Peterson said he expects word back from the state election office within about a week.

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Why in God's name would you bring back a man with a napoleon complex?
Pete Lipps

Ernest Lipps | 8/11/2008 - 5:51 AM - (Suggest Removal )

I agree ! PETE.
He's for People not Politics

Tracy Farmer | 8/10/2008 - 10:01 AM - (Suggest Removal )

Bring back Pete Paduch!

Richard Brown | 8/10/2008 - 1:06 AM - (Suggest Removal )

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