Council Could Face Tough Decision in Replacing Edgerton

Wallace Edgerton (right) discusses an issue with Mayor Scott Mann during a city council meeting last year.
(Menifee 24/7 photo: Kristen Spoon)

While confined to his home because of serious health problems related to his body's rejection of a previous lung transplant, Menifee City Council member Wallace Edgerton has so far chosen not to resign his position. Although his ability to perform normal council duties is limited, the 81-year-old Edgerton has participated in council discussion and votes via telephone hook-up during public meetings.

However, discussion about a successor to Edgerton and the system used to select that council member is becoming a more prominent topic around City Hall, sources say.

In a phone interview today, Edgerton confirmed he recently sent a letter to council members and city staff proposing three prominent individuals for consideration if he decides to resign and is allowed a say in the appointment of a successor. Edgerton said those names are, in no particular order:

-- Lesa Sobek, current planning commissioner.

-- Chris Thomas, current chair of the Planning Commission.

-- Rick Croy, a member of the city's Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission.

"In case there's a problem [continuing on council], I'd like them to look at the names of people who live in my district who have been very supportive in the community," Edgerton said.

One source who received the letter said it has been in circulation for about three weeks. Edgerton said today he has received the approval of Mayor Scott Mann (left) to continue in his limited role, but he admitted it has become a more serious issue as his health deteriorates.

"My concern is the mayor and city manager," Edgerton said. "I want to make sure they're happy -- and my constituents."

In a Feb. 14 interview with Menifee 24/7, Edgerton said his body was rejecting his lung transplant of 2011, when he became the oldest person ever to receive one. He underwent stomach surgery in January and has been receiving treatments ever since in an attempt to build up his system to accept another lung transplant.

Edgerton's weakened condition appeared obvious during Wednesday's city council meeting, when he struggled to hear over the phone what was being said and had difficulty expressing himself in response.

Edgerton, Menifee's first mayor in 2008, won re-election to the city council as a District 3 representative in November 2012. His term ends in November 2016. If Edgerton finds it necessary to resign soon, the remaining four council members would have to choose between three options:

-- Choose a successor to appoint in Edgerton's place, either from the candidates he has suggested or from those in an open application process.

-- Schedule a special election as soon as possible after Edgerton's resignation, allowing the public to select a council member to fill the remainder of Edgerton's term. According to Mann, the cost estimate to conduct such a special election is $25,000.

-- Apply to have an election added to the regularly scheduled ballot for county and other regional positions in November, thus minimizing the cost.

Mann said he does consider any action to be imminent as long as Edgerton is undecided about his future. However, he did say his preference in selecting a successor would be to incorporate an election into the normal November 2015 election process.

"I am not in favor of calling a special election, but a normal election this November would be cost effective," Mann said.

Mann said he believes all three candidates proposed by Edgerton "have served marvelously in their current roles. Any of those would likely do a a fine job on council. But I don't know if any of them even want to be on council."

Mann said in order to have an election for a vacant council seat on this November's ballot, the city would have to apply to the county registrar by June 2.

"Wally knows if he resigns, he's kind of up against the date of June 2," Mann said.

Mann also said he has never felt pressured by Edgerton to push for one of the three candidates to be approved as a condition of his resignation. He also said "I don't believe there is unanimous consent among council members about those three names."

When council member Fred Twyman died in June 2011, the four remaining council members conducted interviews of 10 finalists chosen from a field of 22 residents who applied for appointment to the vacant position. The council voted in August 2011 to appoint Sue Kristjansson for the remaining 15 months of Twyman's term. Kristjansson lost to Greg August in a bid for re-election in 2012.

Sobek was appointed to the Planning Commission by Mann upon his election as mayor. Thomas, a candidate for the original city council, is one of the original planning commissioners. Croy has long been an activist for the rural community of Menifee and attends many city council meetings.

Although he says he respects Edgerton's right to decide if and when he should resign, Mann admitted that Wednesday's council meeting was the most extreme example of the difficulties running a council meeting with an ailing Edgerton participating via phone over the council chambers speaker system. Many audience members found Edgerton difficult to understand and Edgerton asked repeatedly for clarification on statements to which he was listening.

"The last meeting was definitely the most difficult," Mann said. "In previous meetings, I think the audience has tried to be patient and listen to his comments. This time, I noticed body language among some people indicating their frustration. The comfort level was different."

Mann said city officials are considering other options for making Edgerton's comments clearer over the speaker system in the next meeting, which is scheduled for May 20.