Council to Weigh Election, Appointment to Fill Seat

City Council members will decide soon whether to appoint or schedule a special election for a successor to Councilman Bill Doane, who resigned in protest over the election Tuesday of a slow-growth candidate.

The council will meet April 8 to decide how to fill the remaining two years of Doane’s term. Doane, who turns 75 today, was appointed in 1991 to replace Joe Hunt, who also resigned his council seat.

Doane’s resignation was sparked by the election of Planning Commission Chairwoman Patty Campbell to replace Frank Laszlo, who could not run for reelection because of term limits. Campbell opposes the Bixby Ranch Co.’s proposed 223-home development.

Doane said he is exasperated that the city has routinely rejected development proposals while relying on an 11% utility tax to pay for basic services. He said he fears that a recent state Supreme Court decision will invalidate the tax and leave the city insolvent.

“All I’ve done for the last five years is try to find revenue enhancements, but every time one comes up I get the same response from my council colleagues--negative votes,” Doane said. “My cause is lost anyway. We’re going to have to let the worst happen, then maybe the city will wake up.”

Councilman George Brown, who was reelected to a second term Tuesday, said he expects the council to appoint a successor.

“I know three people already who would like to serve and who are well qualified,” Brown said. “I think we’ll be able to come up with a consensus as to who should serve.”