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City Council will consider Roger Laughlin for mayor
by Rick DeClue · News · July 23, 2015
The West Branch City Council agreed Monday to consider appointing local building contractor Roger Laughlin as mayor.
The position opened when Mayor Mark Worrell died June 15.
Council member Tim Shields briefly described his approach to Laughlin about the possibility.
“He didn’t say ‘no,’” Shields said.
Laughlin quickly told the council that his immediate response was not an unqualified yes.
He said he had talked to people about the possibility, but initially had concerns about the time commitment required by the position.
“I’m self-employed and it is a big time commitment,” the owner of Laughlin Design said. “I decided I think I can handle it.”
In his introduction, Shields described Laughlin as a life-long resident of West Branch, a business owner with a history of volunteering, including as the current chairman of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
“He is someone with a real sense of pride in the community,” Shields said.
Laughlin is also renovating the Brown Building on S. Downey Street, which he recently purchased, and is leading the volunteer effort as part of the construction of two new volleyball courts and other improvements scheduled for Beranek Park this year.
Council member Jordan Ellyson noted that Laughlin’s name as a potential appointee was mentioned “early on” by City Administrator Matt Muckler.
Council member Mary Beth Stevenson noted that she had worked with Laughlin on P&Z before serving on the council.
“The mayor needs to be somebody who is invested in the city,” she said. “Along with his construction background, Roger is someone with a lot of knowledge of what is going on in the city.”
Council member Brian Pierce said he was comfortable that Laughlin “always had the best interests of the city at heart.”
City Attorney Kevin Olson told the council it would need to approve a resolution for the appointment of Laughlin at its Aug. 3 meeting and then publish its intent to fill the position until November.
Citizens opposing the appointment would have 14 days to submit a petition calling for a special election.
Olson was not sure exactly how many signatures would be required to force a special election. He did note that county auditor approval of the election would take 32 days, pushing a special election into late September or early October. At that point, the city would be spending $3,000-5,000 to elect a mayor to serve less than two months until November.
If the appointment of Laughlin is approved and unopposed, he will serve until the scheduled election the first week of November. Whoever wins that election will be seated as soon as the Cedar County Auditor certifies the results, and would serve the remaining two years of the Worrell’s term. Three council seats are also on the ballot in November.
Laughlin said that if things work out during the appointment, he intends to run in the November election.
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