Citing her slow recovery from a recent hand surgery and need to take care of her ailing mother, High Springs Vice-Mayor Diane Shupe announced her resignation from the City Commission Feb. 11.
Her resignation was announced through a letter read by Mayor William Coughlin at the City Commission meeting, which also marked her third consecutive absence.
In her letter, Shupe asked the commission to continue leading the city as fiscal conservatives as well as continuing the Art in City Hall project she pioneered last year.
“I think she did an excellent job,” Coughlin said. “She was very deliberate and methodical and also reasonable in her approach…she was also very open minded and progressive in her outlook.”
In accordance with the city Charter, Shupe’s vacancy will now be filled by a majority vote from commissioners based on applicants that apply for vacant seat. City Manager James Drumm said those interested in becoming a commissioner should submit an application, which is available on the city’s Web site, and a resume to City Hall by Feb. 25.
The candidate elected to fill Shupe’s vacancy will hold office until the annual election in November and must run for re-election at that time if they wish to retain the seat.
Commissioners said after reviewing applications they plan to appoint a candidate next month. Because Commissioner Eric May will be unable to attend the March 11 meeting, a special meeting will be held that week to vote on the candidates.
As of Tuesday, one application had been returned to the city manager’s office for the running. Others have verbally committed to submitting an application before the deadline.
Former mayor Jim Gabriel said he has tentative plans to apply for the position. Gabriel served three consecutive terms on the commission before he lost his seat as an incumbent in November’s annual election.
Vying for two seats, newcomers Dean Davis and Eric May were the highest vote getters of the seven candidates, with 364 and 297 votes respectively. Gabriel ended third with 253 votes, ending his run on the commission.
“You would think from a community standpoint that the next person, the highest vote getter, should certainly be considered a candidate for that spot,” Gabriel said. “So yes I’m going to fill out an application.”
Because a replacement will be chosen by the commission and not the public, May said he sees his responsibility as selecting a candidate who represents Shupe’s values of fiscal conservatism.
“I’m looking for someone who will fill her shoes as closely as possible because ultimately she was voted in,” May said Tuesday. “I’m not looking to switch ideals regardless who got this number of votes. She was the first one to land on fiscal conservatism…and she won by a huge majority.”
But in light of having to fill Shupe’s void, Coughlin expressed his regret for having to replace the commissioner who served since 2008 and had more than one more year left in her term.
“I personally will miss serving with [Shupe] because she was a longtime resident of the community and cared a great deal, still cares I’m sure, and without these personal issues, she would be sitting here, right here with us today,” Coughlin said. “And that would be my preference.”