Unable to agree on a compromise candidate to appoint, a divided Oceanside City Council on Wednesday called for a June 8 special election to fill a council vacancy.

"There's no way I think we could pick anyone we could agree on," Mayor Jim Wood said. "It comes back to 'let the public decide.'"

The vote to set a special election to replace former Councilman Rocky Chavez was 3-1, with Councilman Jerry Kern voting against it and council members Jack Feller, Esther Sanchez and Wood voting for it. Chavez resigned last month to become state undersecretary of veterans affairs.

Before voting for the special election, the council deadlocked 2-2 on candidates proposed by Sanchez and Kern to fill the remainder of Chavez's four-year term, which expires in December 2010.

Sanchez, backed by Wood, nominated former bakery owner Charles "Chuck" Lowery, who ran for council in 2008 and again in a failed December election to recall Kern.

Sanchez said Lowery has shown he's a popular candidate with city voters, and the council would be following their wishes by appointing Lowery. Kern and Feller voted no.

Kern recommended former Councilman Sam Williamson, calling him "independent to the point of being cantankerous."

"We need to reach across and find a compromise candidate," Kern said.

Sanchez said she liked Williamson but preferred Lowery. She and Wood voted against appointing Williamson.

Feller said he had a list of possible candidates, but didn't actually nominate anyone.

Although Wood supported Lowery's appointment, he said it might be best to let voters fill the seat in June because anyone the council might choose "could have alignment with one side or the other."

The special election will cost $40,000, City Clerk Barbara Riegel Wayne said.

Answering a question from Sanchez, Wayne said the city must pay about $60,000 to place a measure on the June ballot to adopt a charter for the city. Sanchez and Wood opposed the charter proposal because they said it was pushed forward by Kern, Feller and Chavez with no public review.

Oceanside is a general law city, which means that much of how it is governed is set by state government codes. A charter would give the city more independence on everything from setting council salaries to exempting the city in certain cases from paying union wages on city construction projects.

Before Chavez resigned, most major issues that came to the council were decided on a 3-2 vote, with Chavez siding with Kern and Feller against Sanchez and Wood.

The animosity was so strong among the council members that Wood and Sanchez took lead roles in the drive to unseat Kern.

Wood and Sanchez teamed up Wednesday against Kern and Feller on an issue that was prominent during the recall campaign, a plan to install landscaping and make other improvements along Oceanside Boulevard from Interstate 5 to Crouch Street.

The council deadlocked 2-2 Wednesday over awarding a $346,295 contract for the project. Sanchez and Wood accused Kern during the recall campaign of supporting landscaping over public safety, because Kern supported the Oceanside Boulevard project in budget talks while agreeing with spending cuts to city departments including police and fire.

"For me, essential services are a priority," Sanchez said before the council vote. "I cannot in all good conscience vote to approve this."

Feller said the project was a bargain because the bid came in well under the $680,000 that had been budgeted. He said the city also risked losing matching money for road projects from SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments).

"I don't see how we can pass this up," Feller said.

 

Call Ray Huard at 760-901-4062.