9 replies to this topic

[Steve Heard]

The Folsom City Council elected Kerri Howell as mayor and Ernie Sheldon as vice mayor during the Dec. 10 Council meeting.  They will serve one year terms effective immediately.

 

“I appreciate the confidence my colleagues on the City Council have shown in allowing me to serve as the mayor of this great city for the coming year,” says Howell.  “I look forward to working collaboratively with the Council Members, City staff, community and business leaders both in Folsom and in the region to identify opportunities and seek solutions for whatever comes our way in 2014.”

 

Howell was elected to the Folsom City Council in 1998 and served as vice mayor in 2002 and 2006, and as mayor in 2012.  A 28-year Folsom resident, she also served on the Planning Commission from 1994 to 1998. 

 

She is a past chair and a current City representative on the Sacramento Transportation Authority.  She also chairs the Folsom-Sacramento-El Dorado County Rail JPA, is a member of the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District Board, the Sacramento Area Sewer District Board, Folsom Lake College Foundation Board, and is an active member of the Folsom Rotary Annes.

 

Howell has represented the City Council on the Folsom Library Foundation, the Sacramento Groundwater Authority, the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor JPA and the Regional Water Authority. 

 

A civil engineer with a degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Howell is president of Atlantic Consultants, Inc., a firm specializing in civil and corrosion engineering.

 

Sheldon was elected to the City Council in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, and also served as vice mayor in 2011.  He is a 26-year resident of Folsom and has a long record of community involvement. 

 

He served on the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission for 20 years, helping to build 45 parks and recreation facilities.  He also served as Executive Director of the Folsom Athletic Association for two decades and was a Folsom Public Library Commissioner.

 

Ernie has a Masters Degree in Management from the University of Nebraska.  He served in the United States Air Force for 33 years including 11 years as an enlisted man and 21 years as an officer.  He retired as a Lt. Colonel with a Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and an Air Force Commendation Medal with five clusters.

 

[Rich_T]

This new-mayor-every-year thing is getting sort of silly.

[knittychick]

No choice, its mandated in the Folsom Municipal Code:

 

2.06.020 Selection of city council officers.

 

The officers of the city council shall be a mayor and vice mayor. The council shall select a mayor and vice mayor from its membership by nomination and election by majority vote of all members of the city council annually.

A.    The selection of the mayor and vice mayor shall be conducted annually at the first regular meeting in December or on the second Tuesday of December or at a special meeting called for that purpose, whichever is first to occur.

[Dave Burrell]

Congrats to Kerrie and Ernie!

[Rich_T]

No choice, its mandated in the Folsom Municipal Code:

 

2.06.020 Selection of city council officers.

 

The officers of the city council shall be a mayor and vice mayor. The council shall select a mayor and vice mayor from its membership by nomination and election by majority vote of all members of the city council annually.

A.    The selection of the mayor and vice mayor shall be conducted annually at the first regular meeting in December or on the second Tuesday of December or at a special meeting called for that purpose, whichever is first to occur.

 

 

Well, they could change the rules.  I don't really care, it just seems strange compared to other cities.

[giacomo]

Ernie's never been Mayor, but believe the rest of the current city council members have had their turn as  Mayor...hmmm what are they afraid of???  3 seats up for re-election next year.  Odds of a new candidate unseating one of the incumbents: slim and none. At least in 2016 we will have a new city councilman as Ernie has vowed this is his last turn.

[Steve Heard]

 

Well, they could change the rules.  I don't really care, it just seems strange compared to other cities.

 

I think it's more complicated than just changing the rules. I believe it would require changing the city charter (don't quote me on the legalities). This Council-Manager form of government is popular in smaller cities, and prevents one person from having ultimate authority and decision making power.

 

The mayor doesn't have any more legal power than the rest of the council.     

 

Ernie's never been Mayor, but believe the rest of the current city council members have had their turn as  Mayor...hmmm what are they afraid of???  3 seats up for re-election next year.  Odds of a new candidate unseating one of the incumbents: slim and none. At least in 2016 we will have a new city councilman as Ernie has vowed this is his last turn.

 

I don't think there's a conspiracy here. Remember that the title 'mayor' is largely symbolic in this form of government. 

 

Kerri Howell was on the Council for 15 years before she was elected mayor, while Ernie Sheldon has been on for 5. 

[nowtherestofthestory]

Its been known that Ernie was going to endorse other candidates in this upcoming City Council election. The powers to be didn't want him to be Mayor and having the Mayor endorsing non incumbants.

 

They also know that Kerri finishes 3rd in elections and is the most vulnerable to loosing. So if a strong Female candidate would emerge and Ernie endorsed her that might be enough to put the challenger over the top and defeat Kerri. Therefore, it was decided to allow Kerri to be mayor so she would have more visibility and exposure to help her in this upcoming election.

 

Polling has shown must residents dont want to develop south of 50, are upset over selling water to South of 50 and are unhappy about traffic and growing crime issues in town. Most residents also have an unfavorable opinion on the results of sutter street after the renovation.

 

You may be noticing an effort to generate more favorable publicity to try and offset these valid concerns by most residents. Also the City probably will be generating new events to try and raise positive visibility for the current Council members during the election season this fall.

[TruthSeeker]

Very interesting information there "nowtherestofthestory"

 

I hope you post a lot more information when you have time.

[ducky]

Nomination papers for council seats open on July 14 to August 8 (?) for the November ballot and can be picked up at city hall.