Cleveland Heights Reopens Search For New Council Member, Will Not Appoint Evans
Cleveland Heights City Council announced today it would not appoint former councilwoman Phyllis Evans for the seat, vacated by her resignation.
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Cleveland Heights City Council announced today that it has reopened its search for a new council member to replace Phyllis Evans, who resigned in May after serving nearly 20 years.
Evans, 67, applied for the role she left, hoping that she would be able to continue to receive her benefits from the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and regain her role on council.
Mayor Ed Kelley had said that council would consider her and the 11 other applicants who made the July 25 deadline.
But according to a press release from City Council, "it has decided not to appoint Evans to the vacant seat upon review of the opinion from OPERS that indicates that her health benefits would be in jeopardy."
The other 11 Cleveland Heights residents who applied for the role will still be considered, as will the four who submitted their applications late and were originally not considered. Council has also reopened its search until 5 p.m. Sept. 10.
“We decided to reopen the search based on the fact that many people told us that they would have applied, but they thought that Phyllis was going to get the position," said Mayor Ed Kelley.
Jeff Coryell, Mike Gaynier and Keba Sylla, who ran for Cleveland Heights City Council in November 2011 and applied to council when former council member Mark Tumeo resigned, are among the applicants.
The person appointed will fill the seat until November 2013. They will then need to run for re-election to the position to serve until the term ends, Dec. 31, 2015.
Kelley said that council will likely interview three to five candidates.
Evans had just ran for re-election in November 2011. Evans, Vice Mayor Dennis Wilcox and Councilwoman Mary Dunbar were elected. Coryell lost by just 64 votes.
Applications are available at Cleveland Heights City Hall and will be available soon on the city's website.
The full list of original applicants:
- David Bergstein
- David Biel
- Jessica Cohen
- Jeff Coryell
- Daniel Cronin
- Pleurat Dreshaj
- Mike Gaynier
- Robert Koonce
- Keba Sylla
- Robert Taylor
- Gina Weisblat
Garry Kanter
5:48 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!
Ralph Solonitz
8:06 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
he who has the gold makes up the golden rule.
Garry Kanter
9:26 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
True.
Re-opening is so silly, no? People made bad choices. They should live with them. Same as you and me and everyone else I know.
How is this "fair" to those folks who submitted the paperwork in a timely manner?
John Orielly
9:54 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
The real story here is the following quote:
" Evans, 67, applied for the role she left, hoping that she would be able to continue to receive her benefits from the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and regain her role on council."
How many more of her ilk were more fortunate than she? Is it any wonder that we are broke?
Bonnie Dolezal
10:16 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
John O'rielly is right! Is there no end to the greed of Public Employees? Scary to think she may have gotten reappointed if it not were for the OPERS ruling!
Anastasia Pantsios
10:46 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
"Greed"? To want decent health coverage? Hardly. This is a powerful argument for universal single payer. People shouldn't be forced to make job choices based on keeping their coverage, whether they are in the public or private sector.
John O'Rielly
12:27 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Of course it isn't greed to want "decent health coverage". So, if Ms Evans wants "universal single payer" coverage, as is her right, then SHE should pay for it. It is BEYOND high time that so-called public officials get off the gravy train supplied by a tax paying public that seems to have little choice in the matter.