The city’s mayor and vice mayor are both seeking to be re-appointed to two-year terms when the new City Council meets on Dec. 10.
Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller have both written to their fellow City Council members, asking to be re-appointed. (Beehan’s letter is here, and Miller’s is here.)
The mayor and mayor pro tem are not elected by voters in Oak Ridge. Instead, they are appointed by the seven-member council after each regular municipal election.
A new council was elected Nov. 6. One on the incumbents, Ellen Smith, lost in her re-election run, and two other incumbents, Charlie Hensley and Chuck Hope, were re-elected. They will be joined by new council member Trina Baughn.
The mayor leads council meetings, serves as the ceremonial head of the city, and signs ordinances, resolutions, bonds, and contracts, among other things. The mayor votes at council meetings but has no veto power.
The mayor pro tem fills in for the mayor when the mayor is absent or disabled.
Beehan has been mayor since July 2007. Before that, he was mayor pro tem for six years.
Miller has been mayor pro tem since July 2007.
Beehan has been a council member since 2001, and Miller has served since 2003.
The other two council members are Anne Garcia Garland and David Mosby. Council members serve staggered four-year terms, so three are elected in one municipal election, and then, two years later, four more are elected.
The Dec. 10 council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.
Sam Hopwood says
My view is that it is time for other members of council to serve in these two positions but I don’t expect that to happen. Oh well…..
Lee Roy Gilliam says
It is time that David Mosby be bgiven the opportunity to serve Oak Ridge since he has even more experience than Tom Behan..
I know that Tom Behan loves power but on several occasions he has over stepped his bounds made by the Oak Ridge City Charter. He has made decisions without first addressing the rest of the City Council. Many times he forgets that he has no more powers the other City Councilmen.
So it is time that new insight gets added to the City Council. I as a taxpayer am tired of having the City of Oak Ridge look like Big Business.Boss man ruling over his citizens. I actually voted for Trina in hopes the city would get a fresh insight; as well as, someone to act as if they are for citizens.rather a medical insurance salesman.
Mike Williams 224 says
It wouldn’t hurt my feelings for a change. Chuck should get a swing at running things, or LC