[media id=13 width=320 height=240]
West Wendover election drama got off to an early start with the sudden withdrawal of incumbent Bryant Blake from the November ballot.
Blake who filed for reelection just two weeks ago formally removed his name from the ballot Wednesday night. His move comes within days that student is his math classes at West wendover Junior High were told that Blake had resigned and would not be coming back for the rest of the year.
Blake had been absent from class for a week prior to that announcement. School district officials would neither confirm or deny that the reason for Blake’s absence was voluntary or a disciplinary suspension.
When contacted Wednesday, Elko School Superintendent Jeff Zander confirm that Blake had resigned but gave no other details as to the reasons or whether action was to avoid termination.
As a contracted teacher with about a decade of tenure in the school system, Blake was entitled to up to a full scale hearing of the school board if the school district had sought his termination.
Such a hearing would have entitled the district to air all of a teacher’s dirty alleged dirty laundry and if the board thought the evidence was justified a termination and a permanent black mark on the teacher’s employment record.
To avoid such an outcome many public employers opt for a quick resignation. The government employer may also favor a quick resignation over termination on the grounds it saves time and tax payer money.
While no one is talking about the reasons for Blake’s sudden departure from school , his departure from the ballot is creating a bit of political fallout.
When interview Wednesday, Blake said he would resign his seat on the council before his term ends this November. Depending on when in the next six month Blake quits the move could shake up the race for his council seat.
[media id=2 width=320 height=240]
If Blake resigns his council seat earlier rather than later, Mayor Donnie Andersen may have the option of appointing a short term replacement before the November ballot. Andersen however only nominates it is the city council which must approve the appointment. The devil is in that detail.
For over three years Andersen has waged a losing effort against a veto proof four member majority on the council of which Blake was a member, along with councilwoman Emily Carter and councilmen Johnny Gorum and Roy Briggs.
While Andersen could pick from the list of five council candidates now on the ballot or indeed anyone from the community, but the council could reject the appointment. On the other hand Andersen could veto any candidate nominated by the council.
With Blake gone, Andersen’s veto changes from a symbolic protest by the Mayor to a potentially powerful political tool. Andersen with the help of Izzy Gutierrez, his only ally on the could threaten to bring the city government to a standstill by veto. According to the city’s bylaws a veto can be overridden only on a four fifths vote. Three votes out of four is simply not enough for a veto override vote to be successful.
Because this is an election year the remaining members of the now veto vulnerable majority might be more amenable to the Mayor’s suggestion simply to appeal to voters and not to appear obstructionists. While Blake is gone incumbent Johnny Gorum is still seeking reelection and Carter is running against Andersen for the mayoral position.
Both Carter and Gorum may be less inclined to put off potential voters by openly opposing his nomination especially if they feel his choice is well liked in the community.
If Blake’s replacement is from those who filed for office, he would have an automatic leg up on the competition come November running as a sitting councilman rather than a simple challenger.
Blake leaving the race could also figure into the vote. Now with just six candidates vying for two open seats there will less dispersal in the balloting. In the last election there were 14 candidates for just three council seats. Voting was so spread out that on one candidate, Carter, actually won the election with a majority of the ballots.
