Marysville council deadlocks on new member

A deadlocked Marysville City Council was unable to fill a council vacancy on Tuesday night.

Mayor Ricky Samayoa and Vice-Mayor Jim Kitchen supported Ami Scarfe, an attorney for the Yuba County Department of Child Support Services.

Councilmen Dale Whitmore and Michael Selvidge supported Christopher Pedigo, who finished third among three candidates in the November council race.

Scarfe has the expertise the city needs, her council supporters said, while Selvidge cited the 1,119 people who voted for Pedigo in November.

Asked then to rank Scarfe, Pedigo and the third applicant — Brad Hudson, an instructor for the Yuba College Fire Academy — the council ended up with another deadlock.

The council faces a Feb. 2 deadline to appoint a new council member to fill the vacancy created when Samayoa was elected mayor in November. A special election could be held for the seat, but Whitmore was among council members cautioning about the cost.

"We can't afford an election," Whitmore said.

Marysville resident Bruce Buttacavoli questioned, before the council voted to take up the matter again next week, delaying the appointment.

"What is going to change?" he asked.

Buttacavoli said it was known before the meeting began that the council would deadlock.

Scarfe asked if it would help for the council to discuss the appointment alone and have the public leave. But Samayoa said the decision had to made during an open meeting.

Selvidge said during council comments at the end of the meeting that Marysville employees have a serious morale problem. He urged other council members to talk with the city staff.

"We're at a dangerous point," Selvidge said.

CONTACT Ryan McCarthy at rmccarthy@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4780. Find him on Facebook at /ADrmccarthy or on Twitter at @ADrmccarthy.