Representative democracy can be messy. But for all its foibles, it remains the governmental system that best supports the will of the people.
We are reminded of that as the Clark County Council struggles to approve a replacement for Eileen Quiring O’Brien. The four remaining council members deadlocked in a 2-2 vote Tuesday and agreed to send the matter to Gov. Jay Inslee.
First, a little background. Quiring O’Brien resigned as council chair, officially leaving her post March 1. Council member Karen Bowerman was selected to replace her as chair, but Quiring O’Brien’s position on the council remains unfilled, leaving four members.
Bowerman considered the applicants, choosing three to be interviewed by council members, who were tasked with selecting a replacement. Those members interviewed the candidates and then discussed their qualifications during executive session.
Councilor Gary Medvigy nominated Dick Rylander for the position, and Bowerman joined him in voting for the longtime political activist. But Councilors Julie Olson and Temple Lentz dissented, resulting in a 2-2 vote.
Councilors then agreed to send the matter to the governor. But under state law, council members have 60 days to choose a replacement; the governor cannot consider the matter until May 2.
Quiring O’Brien’s replacement will represent District 5, which was created by voters in November. Medvigy told The Columbian: “This newly created district, the north county, needs representation. We need a full council with diversity of opinion and thought.” We agree, but unless councilors can reach an agreement, District 5 will not be represented until May at the earliest.
Messy, right? And there is another issue adding to the confusion — partisan considerations.
Quiring O’Brien was elected as a Republican, before voters in November opted to make council seats nonpartisan. Despite that decision, which passed with 64 percent of the vote, it makes sense that all three candidates to replace Quiring O’Brien are Republican in order to best follow the will of the voters. Rylander is the state committeeman on the executive board of the Clark County Republican Party.
Prior to Quiring O’Brien’s resignation, the council had a 4-1 Republican majority. That presumably will be the ratio after a replacement is selected.
When Rylander’s name was placed in nomination, Lentz — the only Democrat on the council — said: “It’s our responsibility to vote according to how we feel we can best represent our constituency. At this moment, I’m not able to support this motion.” Olson, a Republican, said: “I also had some issues with a few questions, really important questions for me with regard to the Board of Health. I don’t believe I will be able to support the motion, either.”
Medvigy, meanwhile, praised Rylander: “He is very articulate, and he’s got really broad experience, a very diversity-oriented experience as a family man.”
All of which is the way government is supposed to work. Bowerman considered Republicans to replace an elected Republican, even though the position is now nonpartisan. And members of the council voted for what they believe is the best interests of the public; it just happened to result in a 2-2 deadlock.
If there is a need for criticism, it is because councilors apparently were unaware that the governor cannot consider the issue until May 2. Aside from that, it is a matter of officials reasonably following their conscience.
Sometimes, that can be messy.
