Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 07-24-1990 Regular — reading text

for members wishing to vote for a later nominee to vote against an earlier one. He said he and the Mayor visited to consider the input received by the Council members and their perspective. and the Mayor has prepared an instruction which he will desire, if acceptable to Council. as a substitute motion for the motion that is now before Council. The City Attorney then read the Mayor' s suggested substitute action: As prescribed by the City Charter. Section 4B. the following persons are eligible for election to City Council to fillthe vacancy for Seat 6 as they were the nODrinees received at the prior two aeetings of City Council: Christianne Gibson Steven N. Mink I Dennis Nicholson John S. Edwin ( Ned) Barbara Nix James C. Conners H. Hughes Langdon James ( Jim) Kitchens Ray Munn Alan J. Freiberg 112 7/ 24/ 90 NOMINATIONS ( CONT.) The nominees will be voted on in the order noainated. If repeated rounds of voting are required. voting will be in the same order. If repeated rounds of voting are required. the names of all nominees will reaain on the ballot unless a nominee withdraws. which he is not obligated to do. The method of election is viva voce or voice vote. The vote will be recorded for each candidate for whom the call for vote is made by the Mayor. Each Council member shall indicate a yes no or vote. The voting system will be utilized. Each Council member is limited to one yes vote in each round of voting. The first nominee to receive four votes shall be considered elected. If necessary. upon determination by the Mayor that a stalemate or impasse has occurred. the Mayor will exercise his authority to break the tie R by casting a fourth vote. Mr. Wyatt moved to adopt the substitute motion as recited by the City Attorney. Motion was seconded by Mrs. Wyninegar. Mr. deVaux said he probably agreed with everything except only getting one vote because page 372 of Robert' s Rules of Order give a specifically stated example where the Chair may. as are in favor of Mr. A for President say aye. those say no. the ayes have it and Mr. A is elected; if the noes are in the majority, the wording is, the noes have it. and A is not elected; the question goes to the next candidate. those in favor of B say aye. those opposed say no. He said that means if he votes yes for Mr. A and he was not elected. then the Chair will move to Mr. B, and nowhere does it say he cannot vote yes for Mr. B. The City Attorney pointed out under the procedure just described, it is necessary for members wishing to vote for a later nominee to vote against an earlier one. He said there is no where that gives multiple votes. Following the question on the number of votes a candidate must have to receive majority from the four a Council members left at the meeting, the City Attorney clarified there must be four yes votes for a nominee. Ryan Fisher. 217 Oak Street. stated he has the utmost respect for each every Council member, and but in view of a couple of Council members that have left, he felt it is somewhat a duty of his. as a citizen and speaking as an individual, but he would like to think he was speaking for a lot of citizens who are registered voters in this community who generally have the option to make the decision of who represents the citizens on the Council; in the situation faced with tonight, the citizens rely on the remaining elected officials to make that decision. and he would like to think there would be at least six representatives to make that decision.  113 7/ 24/ 90 COUNCIL VACANCY ( CONT.) Mr. Fisher further said. as it stands now. it is down to four, and there is a very limited view with six, and when start walking out it gets narrower and, at people that he felt the citizens are losing the point, the citizens elected. He said, as one representation citizen, he would feel a little guilty if he did not state. at least for the record for the benefit of those and for those Council members who I are gone, present, that they representing him and he did not think are not they were representing the other citizens who voted and elected them into office, by getting up and leaving that decision to the remainder of those who did stay. He said he hopes Council understands he is not bearing any vengeance on any individual; he feels the citizens need as much representation as possible, but the citizens are leaving the decision of approximately 10, 000 registered voters in the hands