The West Liberty City Council decided in a special council meeting Monday, July 25, whom to recommend to be appointed to the empty council seat by resolution at the Aug. 2 meeting.
Ashley Smith, Mike Price and Vanessa Espinoza submitted applications of interest to city hall for appointment to the empty city council seat.
Smith was chosen for the position. Councilmembers Omar Martinez, Cara McFerren and Dana Dominguez voted for her. Councilmember Jose Zacarias voted no.
Before the vote, city councilmembers discussed the applicants.
Zacarias said his vote would be for Vanessa Espinoza because she has experience. Espinoza has served on the board of directors for Dream Catchers and as a member of the library board.
“I think she’s highly qualified,” Zacarias added.
Councilmember Cara McFerren said she thought Smith and Espinoza were both qualified but had concerns with what Espinoza was posting on social media.
“It was concerning in regards to a flippant emotional comment that was made so that does give me some concern,” McFerren said.
McFerren spoke with Espinoza and Zacarias about the post Espinoza published. She found out from Espinoza it was a heightened emotional response to something that happened between Espinoza and Zacarias and felt like they couldn’t hold Espinoza responsible for her reaction because a lot of people put things on social media when they’re emotional.
Smith seemed to be a hard worker and well known in the community, McFerren said. Smith was a very busy person causing McFerren to be concerned about if she would have time to be a city councilmember.
“I don’t think that’s necessarily something we should focus on,” Mayor Katie McCullough said. “I think if she thinks she can do it then that’s not up to us to decide.”
Zacarias said when he was a board of education member in the West Liberty Community School District he noticed Smith gave the best presentations ever. She was definitely highly qualified.
The thing that stood out to Domiguez about Smith’s application was an essay Smith submitted about documentation with her application.
“I learned from her about annexation,” Dominguez said. “I just really liked how thorough she was in it and that she (put in) the extra effort to find that to include it.”
Smith also included references from well-known people in the community and former councilmembers. Dominguez was concerned about Espinoza having emotional responses Espinoza had in the past and spoke about a letter Espinoza submitted to city hall last week. There were accusations made in the letter that Dominguez found very concerning, she said. The Index has not seen a copy of the letter Espinoza submitted to city hall.
Zacarias said he already knew what Espinoza was talking about in the letter.
“No, you don’t,” Domiguez responded. “You don’t see the other messages where she has degraded you, accused you.”
Zacarias told Dominguez if he needed to he would directly speak with Espinoza.
“That’s what bothers me when you’re going directly to her instead of everybody else going behind her back wondering why you endorsed her when she had done this to you,” Dominguez said. “Instead of talking behind your back, Paul went directly to her.”
Espinoza apologized to Zacarias about the post she made on social media and they have gotten past that, Zacarias said. He accused Dominguez of being biased against Espinoza.
“I’m not biased,” Dominguez said. “I’m friend’s with Vanessa. I voted for Vanessa.”
Dominguez’s fiancé Reed went around West Liberty to get signatures for Espinoza to be on the general election ballot.
Zacarias also accused Dominguez of giving Reed consent to send the private message to Espinoza and knowing about the private message Reed sent.
“What?” Dominguez asked Zacarias. “I don’t have anything to do with that. Paul is his own person. I don’t control him.”
Zacarias said he would recommend Espinoza for the appointment to council.
Martinez said he didn’t know either candidate too well and thought they were both qualified for the position. He said they should appoint someone to city council whom will help them to move forward, not someone who would create further conflict by being emotional.
“Right, that was my concern,” McFerren said. “I just want to be fair. If it’s just a one time deal, it happens, but now I guess I’m understanding this is not a one time deal.”
McFerren added that they just needed to focus on the work at hand and communicate to residents what they’re doing, which Smith demonstrated with her essay on annexation.
McCullough agreed with what McFerren said about Smith.
“She’s shown this ability to take governmental concepts and could break it down for folks that could easily be read in the newspaper,” McCullough said.
Having someone who can help translate what’s going in the city in meaningful ways would be a strong addition to city council, Mayor Katie McCullough added. She has also been in her position with the school district for a number or years, which also impressed her.
Zacarias agreed that they needed to appoint someone who would help the city move forward. However, in his opinion he hasn’t seen anything done regarding with the fire department issue since January, he said.
McCullough asked City Manager Dave Haugland and City Clerk Lee Geertz whom they recommend for appointment.
Haugland said the city council was giving city staff member’s direction on whom they would like to see on the resolution for the Aug. 2 meeting.
Geertz said for records purpose a vote would be needed. She asked McCullough if she wanted to do a roll call vote or a consent vote.
McCullough said they would have a roll call vote.
The roll call vote was taken and the meeting was adjourned.