As the city of Paso Robles continues to mourn the passing of Mayor Steve Martin, the City Council began its process to find his replacement for the remainder of his term at its Sept. 5 meeting.
“The city can either appoint someone to fill that seat or call for a special election,” City Attorney Elizabeth Hull explained at the meeting. “If you call for a special election, you can do an all mail-in ballot or you can consolidate the election into the upcoming March 5 general election.”
However, Hull and city staff warned the council that the cost of holding an election may cause some issues.
“[San Luis Obispo] County has concerns if we do the mail-in ballots,” Hull said. “We would have to find a consultant to handle the research associated with that process, as the county would be unable to assist us in that endeavor, and no one from the city has experience in that regard.”
Public sentiment went in both directions with some public comments advocating for the appointment process, albeit for varying reasons. One public commenter, former mayoral candidate Michael Rivera, expressed support for the appointment—specifically for himself.
“I believe I should be appointed mayor because I was the only one who ran against [Mayor Martin] in the last election,” Rivera said during public comment.
Other residents warned against the appointment route, some intending to ensure that everyone has a voice in the replacement and others spoke up because of concerns that the council would choose the appointment route solely to save money.
Hull noted to the council that they technically have until Oct. 13 to fill the role via appointment, but each member of the council expressed a desire to maintain continuity and get the vacancy filled as soon as possible.
While not explicitly choosing the replacement from within the council, much of what was expressed in both public comment and by the council members themselves showed support for Mayor Pro Tem John Hamon, who had been carrying on Martin’s duties while the mayor battled his illness before his passing.
Ultimately, the City Council voted unanimously 4-0 to hold a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 7.
There, the remaining council members will appoint and swear in the person who will serve out the remainder of Martin’s term, as well as set up the parameters for replacing a newly opened council spot. Δ
This article appears in Sep 7-17, 2023.