New councilor holds key to mayor selection

Incoming Sisters City Councilor David Asson finds himself in the challenging position of potentially being the swing vote on a city council that is clearly divided along philosophical lines 2 to 2.

Encouraged to run for council by Mayor Lon Kellstrom, Asson initially served as the treasurer of the political action committee (PAC) that swept Kellstrom, Pat Thompson and Jerry Bogart into office in 2008. However, Asson opted to run his 2010 campaign separate from the PAC, resigning his position as PAC treasurer early in the election.

While Asson has espoused views, especially on economic development, he was also critical of the process the city council followed in hiring an economic development manager.

The first test of Asson's leanings will come during his very first meeting as a city councilor in January. He will most likely be the vote that determines Sisters' mayor for the next two years.

The mayor is selected by a simple majority (3-2) vote of the councilors at their first meeting with the newly elected councilors.

Kellstrom has indicated his interest in retaining the mayor's gavel. Returning councilor Sharlene Weed has expressed her interest in the mayor's slot on several occasions. Both Asson and the other newly elected councilor Wendy Holzman have indicated that they have no interest in the mayor's position at this point.

Since Kellstrom and Thompson came onto the council as part of a bloc, council-watchers assume they will still be voting on the same page. Holzman has indicated that she would support Weed's bid for mayor if she was so nominated. If these projections prove out, there would be a 2-2 alignment - leaving Asson to cast the deciding vote.

To be better prepared when he assumes his new responsibilities, Asson has been conducting a survey of attitudes, needs, wants and wishes "...on both sides of the [political] aisle," as he puts it. The results of the survey have been positive so far, but he admits that he has gotten some heavy pressure during his interviews on which way he should vote.

Elections for seats on the city council are held every two years, coinciding with the national election cycle. In any given election, three council seats are open. The top two vote-getters are elected to a four-year term; the third-place vote-getter is elected to a two-year term. This assures that there are always two experienced councilors to help ease new councilors into the job.