MIKE CLINE was the only applicant for a vacancy on the Owosso City Council to attend Monday night’s meeting since Mike O’Leary, the second applicant, notified Mayor Ben Frederick earlier in the day he had not applied for time off from his job as an on-call deputy with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, saying he could be present Tuesday night or Wednesday night, however, that changed. A special meeting was then set for 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Cline did speak, telling the council he is a lifelong Owosso resident, was a councilman for four years and wants to be involved again. He added he wanted to be able to speak again when O’Leary is interviewed, which he was told he would be able to do.
The vacancy was created with the June 15 resignation of Councilman David Bandkau. The council then set timelines for interested persons to apply by filing a letter with the city clerk by noon Monday, June 29, with plans for applicants to give the council a presentation and respond to council questions.
By state law, the person appointed serves until the next regular general election in the city when voters will fill the remainder of Bandkau’s term. He was elected to a four-year seat, but since the council adopted a change from off-year elections to cut costs for the odd-year voting and consolidate city voting with regular state general elections in even years, his became a five-year seat. That means the person appointed by the council serves through the November 2016 election, when voters will decide the balance of Bandkau’s term through November 2018. (Independent Photo/BILL CONSTINE)
