North Liberty Mayor Amy Nielsen announces resignation date

NORTH LIBERTY - Mayor Amy Nielsen announced Tuesday night that she plans to resign effective Dec. 31.

The North Liberty City Council chose not to vote yet on how to select a new mayor. The council has 60 days after the resignation date to decide whether to appoint or hold a special election.

Nielsen resigned because she was elected to represent Iowa House District 77, which includes North Liberty, Tiffin, Oxford, Swisher, Shueyville and Lone Tree. She is scheduled to take office Jan. 9.

The council did, however, decide to put the issue on its Jan. 10 meeting agenda. Nielsen said she was hesitant to put it on the Dec. 27 agenda because council member Annie Pollock said during a previous meeting that she did not plan to attend the next December meeting.

'We already know that we would be down one council member, and I think it's a decision that requires all five of you,” Nielsen said.

The council had the choice to nominate a new mayor or hold a special election. However, a special election could be forced by a petition with the signatures of 26 eligible voters, which meets the minimum of 15 percent of the voters in the city's last regular election in 2013.

If the council decides to appoint someone during the Jan. 10 meeting, the city would have to publish a public notice beforehand.

'I'd be inclined to not make a decision yet,” council member Jim Sayre said. 'For me, it's not a December decision.”

City Attorney Scott Peterson said it was up to the council to decide when in that 60-day window it wants to act. However, he said he wouldn't necessarily recommend waiting until the last day to choose.

Mayor Pro Tem Terry Donahue will assume the mayor's responsibilities until a new mayor is selected. Unlike a traditional mayor, Donahue still will hold voting rights on the council during that time.

City staffers estimate an election could cost about $3,500, but that would increase if the city decides to operate more than one polling place.

A full year remains in the mayoral term. When a mayor is elected next November during the regular election, he or she will take over Jan. 1, 2018.

Nielsen was elected in November 2014 to fill a vacancy after the death of Mayor Tom Salm. She defeated Gerry Kuhl, who was appointed as interim mayor in June 2014.

l Comments: (319) 339-3172; maddy.arnold@thegazette.com