Ben Kramer, who was appointed to his seat on the Clarkdale Town Council in September 2017, ran to keep his seat during the Aug. 28 election and won, receiving 29.26 percent of the vote, second place in a race for two seats.
However, Kramer has declined to be seated. Kramer sent a letter to the Clarkdale Town Council and town clerk notifying them that he intends not to serve his term, and will step down from the Council effective Nov. 14.
According to Kramer’s letter, he is interested in seeking a position as Clarkdale town manager instead, once current Town Manager Gayle Mabery retires. The Clarkdale Town Code §3-2-1(B) states that “no council member shall be appointed town manager during the term for which he/she shall have been elected, nor within one year after expiration of his/her term.”
“I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I was a strong candidate, and I will make every effort to be the best candidate in the eyes of the council,” Kramer said. “It’s a heartbreak to not be on council, but I hope that as town manager I would get to serve the town on a full-time basis and not just twice a month at council meetings.”
The Town Council has not yet decided on a process for appointing Kramer’s successor. According to Town Clerk Mary Ellen Dunn, while Arizona law gives the council the power to appoint replacements to council vacancies, it does not specify the process, and the council is permitted to set its rules about how to replace Kramer.
The council plans to discuss the process for replacing Kramer at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. in the Clark Memorial Clubhouse.
Eileen Sydow, who got third place in the Aug. 28 primary election with 23.12 percent of the vote, said she felt that if Kramer was not planning on taking his seat on the council, he should have dropped out of the race earlier, and that staying in without the intention to serve was unfair to the other candidates running for election.
“Why would anyone want to go through this if they can pull the rug out from beneath you just like this?” Sydow said. She said she feels that the decision to run despite planning to step down was not truthful. “I don’t think he has any honesty or integrity.”
Kramer said he filed to run for council and contested the seat with the assumption that he would if he won take the seat on the council, and the decision to seek the town manager position instead was not considered until the week of the election.
“I appreciate the support of the voters, but those voters are the same constituents I would serve as the town manager,” Kramer said. “This is my way of saying I’d like to take your support and use it in an even greater capacity.”
Sydow said she was not sure if she was interested in seeking an appointment for the vacant town council seat, hoping to find out more information about how the council will be making its decision.
Bob Ingulli, who also ran for council and lost, has expressed disinterest in seeking the vacant spot.
“I sincerely offered my service to our community and was politely rejected by the voters,” Ingulli wrote in an email. “I personally make every effort to ensure I fulfill any commit ments I make. I’m sure the community will find a substitute for Ben that will fill their vision.”
Bill Regner, who got first place in the Aug. 28 primary, wrote in an email: “Ben is a very talented individual who very quickly became a highly contributing member of our council after his appointment last year. I will miss him on that body.”
“My interpretation of the election results is that Clarkdale voters recognized that with the significant amount of transition taking place within our town staff that experience and continuity on the council was the highest priority right now,” he continued on the topic of Kramer’s potential replacement. “I also saw indications that Clarkdale voters are interested in greater age and gender diversity on the council.”
Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig did not respond to requests for comment.
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
