Brooksville special election in limbo

City council members will again attempt to determine whether to follow city ordinance and hold a special election to fill an empty council member's seat or change it to save thousands of dollars in election costs.

And to break a tie vote, interim Councilman Frankie Burnett is expected to weigh in even though it could effect how long he remains on the council.

During a special meeting at 5:05 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at City Hall, council members will again discuss whether to hold a special election as ordered under city ordinance or change it to include other options - such as an interim council member filling the seat until the next scheduled election.

Changing the ordinance would affect Burnett's temporary term on the council, which would end under the current city ordinance once a candidate is voted in during a special election. Burnett was selected this week from among five applicants to fill the council seat following David Pugh's resignation from the council.

However, without Burnett's vote, Mayor Lara Bradburn said it is likely council members won't move forward on the matter.

At last Monday's meeting, attempts to change the city ordinance failed by a tie vote with Bradburn and Councilman Joe Bernadini voting for the measure and Vice Mayor Richard Lewis and Councilman Joe Johnston III voting against it.

Both Bradburn and Bernadini were for changing the ordinance because the cost of holding a special election is expected to cost between $25,000 and $35,000. Lewis and Johnston agreed the ordinance was in place for a reason and shouldn't be changed.

Council members believed the matter to be settled and that a special election would be scheduled, until a vote to approve holding a special election failed by a 3-2 vote, with Bradburn, Bernadini and Burnett voting against the measure.

Burnett had asked city staff whether voting on the measure beforehand was a conflict of interest and was told it was not.

Bradburn said the next meeting will determine the city's next move. The current city ordinance requires a special election to be held within 90 days - very little time, Bradburn said, to throw together an election before the April 10 deadline.

"So basically, we're in limbo," Bradburn said. "The county elections office is moving forward simultaneously to prepare for if there is an election just in case that's what we decide to do."