Local News in Brief : Simi Council to Fill Seat by Appointment

The Simi Valley City Council voted Tuesday to fill a vacant council seat by appointment.

But council members said that, if they can’t agree on whom to appoint by their Monday night meeting, they still may call a special election to fill the seat left vacant when Councilman Greg Stratton was elected mayor Nov. 4.

Stratton replaced Mayor Elton Gallegly, who is going to Washington to represent the 21st Congressional District.

The council had a choice of appointing someone to serve the two years remaining in Stratton’s council term or scheduling a special election March 3 or June 2.

Under the California Government Code, the City Council has a month from the day the vacancy becomes official--in this case, when Stratton was sworn in as mayor Tuesday night--to name a replacement.

Faced with vacancies four other times in the last 15 years, the City Council has in each case opted to appoint new members, citing the cost of a special election and a desire not to have a seat vacant for months. The elections division of the Ventura County registrar of voters estimated that a special election in March or June would cost $38,000.

Stratton said as many as 15 people have expressed interest in the $500-a-month job, including Tom Ely, whom Stratton defeated for mayor, and unsuccessful council candidates Michael Stevens, David Penner and Bill Jones.

Stratton has said, however, that he is not inclined to appoint any of the election losers because most were critical of the existing City Council.