Debate sparks over vote on new Gold Hill City Council Board President

GOLD HILL, Ore.- Gold Hill City Council voted on a new board president this week, but a debate sparked over whether the vote was legal.

During Gold Hill’s city council meeting Tuesday, a discussion on whether or not a new board president could be elected was disputed. Councilors questioned whether or not a resolution allowing a board president to be elected every year interferes with the charter.

“The charter says odd number of year of membership, the resolution says every year of tenured membership. Both are listed,” Gold Hill City Manager Lily Morgan said, “so in order to be compliant, you would do it every year, for both”.

One council member, Melia Biedscheid, nominated herself for the position. The previous board president, Janet Wilson, said voting on a new board president while the rules of the charter and resolution are unclear is unlawful.

“I don’t frankly care whether I’m the… president or not, but this has not been brought through correctly and I want it to be correct before it happens,” Councilor Wilson said, “it isn’t legal right now, we are quoting opinions… but this is not done right and I want it to be done right”.

The motion for Biedscheid to become the new board president passed by a vote of 3 for, 1 against, and 2 abstained from the vote including Wilson. Wilson added that she plans to take the vote to the ethics commission. Whether the vote will be challenged at the next council meeting is still unknown.