Queen Creek town council opts not to fill vacant mayor’s seat

By Janet Perez
Mail | Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

The Queen Creek Town Council took no action on how to fill the vacant seat left behind by Mayor Gail Barney following his death last month.

This means the mayor’s chair will remain vacant through January 2023, when Barney’s term would have ended.

As provided under the town code and policies and procedures, Vice Mayor Jeff Brown will continue to perform the duties as mayor.

At last night’s council meeting, members discussed options to fill the vacancy. As outlined by the town’s attorney, the council had four options it could take:

• Take no action at this time and continue operating with the vice mayor continuing to perform the duties of the mayor as provided for under Town Code and the Town Council Policies and Procedures;
• Appoint the vice mayor or another member from the council to serve as mayor until Jan. 1, 2023, when the new mayor’s term begins – and the vacancy would switch from a vacancy in the mayor’s position to a council member vacancy;
• If the vice mayor is formally appointed to serve as mayor until Jan. 1, 2023, then the mayor can nominate and the council approve by vote an existing council member to serve as vice mayor until a new vice mayor is nominated and approved by vote of the council at a council meeting in January 2023; and/or
• Direct town staff to initiate a process leading to appointment by the council to fill the vacant mayor or council member position until Jan. 1, 2023.

Any sitting council member appointed to serve as mayor or vice mayor would return to their current council member position to the extent their term does not end on Jan. 1, 2023.

The town’s attorney informed council that they likely wouldn’t be able to fill any vacancies until October. With the primary election coming up on Aug. 2 and the general election set for Nov. 8, council decided it would be best for the town to keep the council operating as is with Brown at the helm.

Current Queen Creek Council Member Julia Wheatley is running unopposed for mayor. Before his death, Barney already had opted not to run for reelection.  

Barney died on June 22, after months of fighting a lung infection. He was 74.

Last night before the start of the council meeting, a memorial was held for Barney in council chambers with his survivors in attendance. Many council members openly wept as they remembered Barney. A video tribute also was shown during the remembrance ceremony.

The ceremony ended with council members giving Barney’s wife and his family various items representing the office of mayor, including the gavel the late mayor used during council meetings.

Janet Perez
News Editor | Queen Creek & San Tan Valley
@AzNewsmedia

jperez@iniusa.org

Meet Janet
Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State  University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.

Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.

Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science. 

Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.  

Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.