City Council To Elect New President

Wednesday night's council meeting is promising to be a long one. But what—hopefully—will be done quickly, is the reorganization of the council.

It's still unclear who the new president will be, or if Fifth Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham will stay on for another term. Councilwoman-at-Large Carol Marsh is the current vice president. 

First Ward Councilwoman Theresa Castellano said Monday afternoon that she hadn't heard yet from any of the council members who wanted to be president. In previous years, she said, the aspiring president would contact the other council members. 

Castellano also said that it's common for a vice president to become president the following year. 

Carol Marsh did not return phone calls before publishing this article.

Seeing how all the ward seats are up for re-election in May 2011, it's likely that an at large council member will be president (but not certain). The entire council will have to vote on the matter. 

Councilman-at-Large Ravinder Bhalla said he'd like to see either Cunningham serve another term or have Marsh assume the role.

"I am not interested in serving as Council President," Bhalla wrote in an e-mail on Monday. 

The next council meeting is on Wednesday July 14 at 7 p.m. in City Hall.