Politics & Government
Applicants Sought to Fill Banning Council Seat Vacated by Botts' Resignation
The City of Banning began distributing application forms Wednesday to help identify an eligible individual who will be appointed to fill the City Council vacated created when Mayor Pro Tem Bob Botts resigned earlier this month.
The four remaining council members unanimously agreed Oct. 15 to appoint Botts' replacement and avoid a special election, due to costs and time considerations.
City Manager Andy Takata told council members Edward Miller, Art Welch, Debbie Franklin and Don Peterson a special election could cost an estimated $40,000. Franklin noted a special election could not be staged until April 2014, and the elected newcomer would then be up for re-election in November 2014.
The council then voted 4-0 Oct. 22 to amend city code relating to city council vacancies in order to conform to California Government Code Section 35612.
"The newly adopted Ordinance eliminates the thirty day window and allows the City sixty days to fill the vacancy," city spokesman Bill Manis said Wednesday in a statement. "If the vacancy is not filled within sixty days then a special election would take place."
Application forms are available at Banning City Hall, 99 E. Ramsey St., and at the Banning Chamber of Commerce, 60 E. Ramsey St., and online at http://banning.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=324.
Here's more from Manis' statement:
Applications are due to the Banning City Clerk on or before Thursday, November
7, 2013, at 5:00pm. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Applicants will be subject to background checks by the Banning Police Department and the United States Department of Justice. The background check includes fingerprinting.
Applicants must also be a United States registered voter.
Botts' abrupt resignation came one day after a city spokesman announced Banning chief of police Leonard Purvis went on voluntary paid leave effective Saturday Oct. 5.
For more info about applying to fill the city council vacancy, call the City Clerk at (951) 922-3102.
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