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123 <br /> <br />COUNCIL CHAMBER - July 3, 2000 <br /> <br /> Council met in regular session on this date with the following members present: <br />Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Richards, Mr. Toscano. <br /> <br />ELECTION: MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Toscano, seconded by Mr. Caravati, Mr. Blake Caravati was <br />elected Mayor by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lynch, Ms. <br />Richards, Mr. Toscano. Noes: None. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said it is an honor and he is humbled having been elected MayOr. <br />Mr. Caravati said he takes it very seriously and hopes a lot will happen in a concrete <br />sense in the City in the next two years. Mr. Caravati said the decision about the <br />mayorship has been unusual and difficult and he held hhmself out as a compromise <br />candidate. Mr. Caravati pledge to work with others on Council for the next two years. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toseano asked flit would be possible to elect co-Vice Mayors, and made a <br />motion to table election of the Vice mayor until this can be determined. Mr. Toscano <br />said he would like to elect co-Vice Mayors in light of the efforts put forward by both Mr. <br />Cox and Ms. Richards. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said he fmds the idea innovative but totally unnecessary, and began to <br />nominate Ms. Richards for Vice Mayor, but was told that a motion was on the floor to <br />table the matter. <br /> <br /> Mr. Clyde Gouldman, City Attorney, explained that while Council could amend <br />the ordinance that only allows for one Vice MayOr, the City's charter also limits the City <br />to having one Vice Mayor and that would need to be changed by the General Assembly. <br /> <br />Mr. Toscano withdrew his motion to table the election of Vice Mayor., <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Ms. Richards, Mr. Maurice Cox was <br />elected Vice Mayor by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Caravati, Mr, Cox, Mr. Lynch, <br />Ms. Richards, Mr. Toscano. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox said that the issue of how the Mayor and Vice ~ayor are selected was <br />put forward in his campaign platform, and said he supports the idea of the direct election <br />of Mayor. Mr. Cox said the process of choosing the Mayor has been nerve wrenching <br />and was done outside of the public eye. Mr. Cox said it did help initiate discussions with <br />other Councilors that would never have happened and as a result he said new allies have <br />formed and new bridges have been built. Mr. Cox said that despite his disdain for the <br />process, he hopes it will move Council forward in a unified way. <br /> <br /> Mr. Caravati said he thinks the idea of an elected Mayor bears study over the <br />coming year. <br /> <br /> Mr. Toscano saidhe agrees with Mr. Cox's comments about the discussions <br />among Councilors, but added that he has not been privy to those discussions. Mr. <br />Toscano said that Councilors have talked about the issue of transparency, but that does <br />not seem to have played itself out here. Mr. Toscano said he has never had an experience <br />like this with the election of Mayor. Mr. Toscano said he is glad that the end result was a <br />consensus vote, and he hopes Council can now move forward as a team and feels it bodes <br />well for the future. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he hopes the next time Council goes through this process that the <br />public will be more involved. Mr. Lynch said he is comfortable that Council has a united <br />agenda and he hopes that it reflects what the community wants. <br /> <br /> Ms. Richards said she has enjoyed the discussions she has had with Councilors <br />and said she does not think the public cares about factions, and expressed concern that <br /> <br /> <br />