Burlington City Council Shocker: Carleton Out, Adrian Knocking on the Door (Hard)
Fairly big news for Burlington folks: although the Free Press reported just yesterday that only three wards would be contesting City Council seats on Town Meeting Day, word went out late Friday that Ian Carleton, current Council President, will be stepping down as well.
From Carleton’s open letter to the Council:
Councilors,
Earlier today I delivered a letter to the City’s Clerk/Treasurer requesting that my Ward One seat be placed on the Town Meeting Day ballot this year.
I have spoken to the City Attorney about the mechanics of this request, and he has explained that this request is procedurally valid.
It will result in an election in Ward One to fill a one year term which will appear separately on the ballot from Sharon Bushor’s two year seat, which is also up this year. It is my intention to continue serving on the Council through Organization Day, April 2, so that there is no interruption of representation for Ward One residents.
The letter goes on to cite family issues: aging parents, and growing children. Which are the best reasons for taking a breather from the game, no question.
But Carleton will be sorely missed; he was energetic, tough, and by all accounts notably fair. And Carleton will be back, and soon. The guy eats, sleeps, and dreams politics.
So bet on that.
Why is this fairly big news? Well, with the City Council divided 6-4 between the Democrats and the Progressives, Carleton’s resignation puts control of the Council in play, at least theoretically speaking.
Which leads us to the $64,000.00 question: Who’s on deck to pinch-hit for the Democrats on this one?
Word is it’s ace attorney Ed Adrian, now of the Secretary of State’s office, and a long-time reader of VDB.
And one thing is certain if it’s Adrian knocking on those Ward 1 doors: those people will know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their doors have been knocked.
on January 24th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
[…] If you missed our post of this past Saturday, Burlington City Council President Ian Carleton unexpectedly tendered his resignation, putting his Ward One seat, the Council Presidency, and theoretically the Democratic majority all up for grabs. […]
on January 27th, 2007 at 6:44 am
[…] For those following the Carleton resignation, and the sudden race among Burlington Democrats to fill his shoes, here’s the current state of play in a nutshell: Ed Adrain took the Democratic nomination last night by a razor-thin margin of nine votes. […]
on December 30th, 2010 at 10:23 am
[…] Philip Baruth has what we know so far. […]
on December 30th, 2010 at 11:06 am
[…] Last night I emailed Ed Adrian and asked if the rumors were true. Today he replied “I am running as a D assuming I win the caucus.” […]