Crichlow to replace outgoing Leary
Former city commissioner chosen unanimously to fill seat until 2014
Posted: February 11, 2013 - 10:34pm
Donald Crichlow
Former city commissioner chosen unanimously to fill seat until 2014
The St. Augustine City Commission spent half an hour Monday night presenting departing City Commissioner Bill Leary with two special souvenirs, leading several standing ovations, and listening as Leary thanked former colleagues, all department heads and city staff.
Then the commission spent five minutes deciding his replacement.
They unanimously appointed former Commissioner Don Crichlow, an architect who served on the commission from 2002 to 2010, to fill Leary’s seat until 2014.
No other candidates were considered, or even mentioned.
After the vote, a recess was announced and many in the audience streamed outside to express shock and dismay at the decision that appeared to lack any consideration of the dozen other candidates who had submitted their names to City Manager John Regan in good faith.
“They could have at least talked about some of the others,” one woman said.
That sentiment was echoed by Judith Seraphin of Lincolnville, who after the meeting said: “By not having a discussion on the other candidates, they did a disservice (to the city). It looked very planned. I expected this meeting to be hot and heavy.”
The Rev. Ron Rauls had earlier said candidate Deltra Long was “qualified and has been extremely interested in this community all her life.”
Seraphin had also touted Long as someone who is “well-known for her work on the board of directors for Habitat For Humanity and Betty Griffin House, the large percentage of votes she received in the past election, her law degree and her work on the Planning and Zoning Board for years, many as chairwoman.”
Long ran for Commissioner Errol Jones’ vacant seat in 2012 but was beaten by architect Roxanne Horvath.
Seraphin said: “I’m not asking (the commission) to support Deltra Long because she’s an African-American. I’m asking you to support her because she’s the right person in the right place at the right time.”
The decision might have been put off until Feb. 25 if Leary had not made a surprise announcement: He was willing to resign immediately rather than wait until Feb. 18. This way, he explained, there’d be an empty seat for the board to fill.
“I want to make it easy for you to act,” Leary said. “I’m grateful that so many highly qualified people expressed interest in the vacancy. It’s a difficult choice, and I’m glad I don’t have to make it.”
After the board and audience gave Leary his kudos, he and his wife left.
At that point, Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline immediately limited the number candidates who were eligible for appointment by saying she only wanted candidates with experience but didn’t want to appoint someone who would become an incumbent in 2014, when that seat becomes open.
“I want someone who will not run,” she said.
That left Crichlow, former Mayor Len Weeks and former Commissioner Bill Lennon as the only candidates who met those qualifications.
Weeks and Lennon are late-comers on the list.
But Mayor Joe Boles said the board wasn’t bound to any list and that there was “no defined procedure” on choosing a new commissioner. “It’s really up to the commission.”
He agreed with Sikes-Kline on the “must-not-run” limitation and actually limited it further by saying he wanted someone with “no learning curve, someone who will not run and someone who did not lose an election.”
Sikes-Kline “liked Crichlow because I don’t think he has an agenda. He’s solid as a rock.”
Commissioner Leanna Freeman remained silent.
Horvath said Crichlow is “fair and thorough. I think it should be the public to decide who is will (serve) in 2014.”
People shook their heads in disbelief after the vote.
The St. Augustine City Commission spent half an hour Monday night presenting departing City Commissioner Bill Leary with two special souvenirs, leading several standing ovations, and listening as Leary thanked former colleagues, all department heads and city staff.
Then the commission spent five minutes deciding his replacement.
They unanimously appointed former Commissioner Don Crichlow, an architect who served on the commission from 2002 to 2010, to fill Leary’s seat until 2014.
No other candidates were considered, or even mentioned.
After the vote, a recess was announced and many in the audience streamed outside to express shock and dismay at the decision that appeared to lack any consideration of the dozen other candidates who had submitted their names to City Manager John Regan in good faith.
“They could have at least talked about some of the others,” one woman said.
That sentiment was echoed by Judith Seraphin of Lincolnville, who after the meeting said: “By not having a discussion on the other candidates, they did a disservice (to the city). It looked very planned. I expected this meeting to be hot and heavy.”
The Rev. Ron Rauls had earlier said candidate Deltra Long was “qualified and has been extremely interested in this community all her life.”
Seraphin had also touted Long as someone who is “well-known for her work on the board of directors for Habitat For Humanity and Betty Griffin House, the large percentage of votes she received in the past election, her law degree and her work on the Planning and Zoning Board for years, many as chairwoman.”
Long ran for Commissioner Errol Jones’ vacant seat in 2012 but was beaten by architect Roxanne Horvath.
Seraphin said: “I’m not asking (the commission) to support Deltra Long because she’s an African-American. I’m asking you to support her because she’s the right person in the right place at the right time.”
The decision might have been put off until Feb. 25 if Leary had not made a surprise announcement: He was willing to resign immediately rather than wait until Feb. 18. This way, he explained, there’d be an empty seat for the board to fill.
“I want to make it easy for you to act,” Leary said. “I’m grateful that so many highly qualified people expressed interest in the vacancy. It’s a difficult choice, and I’m glad I don’t have to make it.”
After the board and audience gave Leary his kudos, he and his wife left.
At that point, Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline immediately limited the number candidates who were eligible for appointment by saying she only wanted candidates with experience but didn’t want to appoint someone who would become an incumbent in 2014, when that seat becomes open.
“I want someone who will not run,” she said.
That left Crichlow, former Mayor Len Weeks and former Commissioner Bill Lennon as the only candidates who met those qualifications.
Weeks and Lennon are late-comers on the list.
But Mayor Joe Boles said the board wasn’t bound to any list and that there was “no defined procedure” on choosing a new commissioner. “It’s really up to the commission.”
He agreed with Sikes-Kline on the “must-not-run” limitation and actually limited it further by saying he wanted someone with “no learning curve, someone who will not run and someone who did not lose an election.”
Sikes-Kline “liked Crichlow because I don’t think he has an agenda. He’s solid as a rock.”
Commissioner Leanna Freeman remained silent.
Horvath said Crichlow is “fair and thorough. I think it should be the public to decide who is will (serve) in 2014.”
People shook their heads in disbelief after the vote.
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