Who Should Fill Gary Davis' City Council Seat?

By answering the question on Tuesday of who they would like to be their mayor, Elk Grove residents raised another: Who should fill the city council seat of the winner?

Elk Grove City Council Member Gary Davis currently represents parts of Laguna and southwest Elk Grove in District 4; his term lasts until 2014. With his election to mayor, the council is faced with the question of how to fill his seat for the rest of his term.

The council could appoint someone or hold a special election at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"This will be a decision ultimately made by the full council," Davis said in an email. "However, I first want to hear from our community, neighborhood, and business leaders as to how they would like to see the process unfold. There are several potentially qualified candidates living in District 4 and I encourage all of them to let the Council know of their interest in the process."

At least one person has already expressed interest. Elk Grove Planning Commissioner Nancy Chaires, who was appointed to that board by current Mayor Jim Cooper, said earlier this year she would seek the seat if Davis were elected.

“I’ve enjoyed what I’ve been doing on the planning commission, and I’ve learned so much about the city that I think I just got to the point where I feel like I need to fix things within my reach,” Chaires told Patch in July. “I can contribute more.”

--

Elk Grove, what do you think the council should do? If someone is appointed to the city council to fill Davis' seat, who should it be? Let us know in the comments section below.

--

Sign up for the free Elk Grove Patch newsletter | Like Elk Grove Patch on Facebook | Follow @ElkGrovePatch on Twitter | Blog for Elk Grove Patch