With the next regular city election more than a year away, the Jefferson city council must fill a vacancy created by the resignation of council member Lisa Jaskey.
Jaskey announced at the Aug. 9 council meeting that she is resigning her seat effective Aug. 31. The Aug. 23 council meeting will be her last, she told the council. She and her husband, OB/GYN David Jaskey, are leaving the community for other employment opportunities. She was first elected to the city council in 2011.
Jaskey’s term is not set to expire until 2019. The city council can appoint someone to fill the vacancy or call for a special election. In either case, the new council person will serve until the regular city election in 2017. The position will then appear on the ballot as filling a vacancy of a term to expire in 2019 (so as to preserve the staggered expiration of council terms).
Jaskey was not elected at-large, but from District 2, and her replacement must be a resident of that district. A map of council districts is located on the city website.
If the city council decides to fill the vacancy by appointment, the council must publish a legal notice of its intention to appoint at least four but no more than 20 days before the appointment is scheduled to be made. The legal notice must also notify city residents of the right to request a special election by filing a petition.
The number of signatures needed to call for a special election is based on the number of voters who cast ballots for that position in the last regular election. In the 2015 election, a total of 527 votes were cast for the District 2 seat. Seventy-nine signatures would be needed if the voters call for a special election.
Residents have up to 14 days after an appointment is made to submit a petition calling for a special election.
Council members did not discuss how they plan to proceed.
