By Scott Pohl, WKAR News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-993819.mp3
EAST LANSING, MI –
Tonight's East Lansing City Council meeting could see the ouster of mayor Victor Loomis.
East Lansing is governed by a five-member city council and a city manager who reports to the council. Following last week's election, the council tonight will choose one of its members to serve as mayor. The mayor frequently represents the city at major functions, and for four years, Victor Loomis has filled that role.
Loomis says he can't think of a single week where he hasn't spent at least 45 hours performing mayoral duties, and he wants to keep the job.
"One thing I learned in this election," Loomis says, "is I do have a very broad and very deep base of support in this community. And the other message I heard very loud and clear was we absolutely want you to remain the mayor for the final two years of your term."
Loomis touts his extensive contacts in the city, at Michigan State University and in nearby communities. He's proud of his history with more than 30 service organizations, many in a leadership role.
Last week, three council members were up for re-election. Loomis endorsed none of them, but rather backed one of the two challengers on the ballot. His support may have helped Don Power knock Roger Peters out of office.
On election night, Power said he will vote to keep Loomis in the mayor's job when he's sworn in tonight.
"The first thing happens on the 16th," Power says, "(is) I will be seated, and a mayor will be elected, and mine is to fight for the continuation of Vic Loomis as the mayor, however long and whatever that takes. We need his expertise; we need it in that job."
Loomis wants the job and he has Power's vote. But will he get the key third vote tonight?
Nathan Triplett was re-elected to the council last week. Now, he says he isn't running for mayor.
"There are other members of council who are interested," Triplett says, "and we're still having those conversations, but it's my intention on Wednesday evening to support one of the other council members."
The others on the council, mayor pro-tem Diane Goddeeris and Kevin Beard, both responded to e-mails about tonight's vote by saying they hadn't made up their minds.
Triplett hints that Goddeeris will get the nod.
"I know that she is interested," Triplett says, "and she's served with distinction as our mayor pro-tem for the last two years, and she and I have had conversations about her interest in serving as mayor, and I think this is one of those things where when you're dealing with a council of only five, it's a very personal decision and there's a lot of one-on-one conversations that have to take place, and we've been doing that. It just hasn't come to a point where it's finalized yet."
The city council in East Lansing has a reputation for civility. Loomis won't speculate on how these events might affect that, but he says he hasn't heard a single objective reason from anyone for why he shouldn't remain as mayor.
"I'm proud of my track record," Loomis says. "I'm proud of the work we have done as a community, and I think more and more people look at East Lansing in a little different perspective than say, maybe, a decade or so ago."
In the next few months, the council will decide how to search for a new city manager to replace Ted Staton, who left for a job in Ohio. There's also the matter of how to proceed with the City Center II redevelopment project.
Tonight's city council meeting begins at 7:30 in Courtroom Two in city hall.