Resignation of city councilor means winner on Nov. 4 will start work immediately

Patricia Turner (Courtesy)

ROCHESTER - The winning candidate for the Ward 1 Seat A City Council seat on Nov. 4 will be taking office early following the resignation of current City Councilor Patricia Turner, which was accepted by the City Council on Tuesday.
Turner resigned last month due to family needs and work responsibilities.
"Regrettably, I need to resign from the Council for personal reasons," said Turner in a letter to Mayor Paul Callaghan, saying, "Due to a change in family needs and work responsibilities, I am no longer able to attend Council meetings."
Since the municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 4, City Council will not appoint an interim member. Instead, under city policy, once the election results are certified, the winning candidate for Ward 1 Seat A will be automatically appointed to complete the remainder of Turner's current term.
The rest of the winning candidates will assume their duties the first business day after Jan. 1.
The two candidates currently running for the seat are Debby Thompson and Raymond Wayman.
In other city council action the board unanimously voted to allow increases in water, wastewater and septic fees and a supplemental appropriation of $1.4 million for the Portland Street sidewalk project.
They also approved unanimously the tri-city agreement to fund this year's warming shelter, the building of a new permanent warming shelter and the purchase of property located at 1035 Salmon Falls Road for $159,000. The reason for the purchase was not listed in the workshop packet. City Councilor Tim Fontneau recused himself from the final item.