Shakopee City Council Plan to Appoint Replacement for Councilor Schurman

With the resignation of Councilor Pamela Schurman effective August 31, the Shakopee City Council discussed next steps at their meeting this week.

Schurman’s term would have ended at the end of this year and councilors wondered if it was really necessary to fill her seat in the interim.

City Administrator Mark McNeill said that he had been advised that the council did have to fill the seat due to the length of time—four months—the council would otherwise have a vacant seat.

In that case, most of the councilors favored appointing a former council member since the city budget discussion will soon become a main topic of meetings. They wanted someone familiar with the budget process to fill Schurman's seat. Schurman, of course, abstained from the discussion.

Councilor Jay Whiting disagreed and suggested that the council accept applications and appoint a woman or someone with a different ethnic background.

In general the councilors also did not want to appoint someone who planned to run for the council as they felt it would give that person an unfair advantage over the other candidates.

The mayor and the councilors, with the exception of Whiting, agreed to direct city staff to contact former council members and have a list of interested individuals ready for the city council meeting on August 20.

Said Schurman, "I do regret that I have to leave a few months early, however it seems like the right decision." 

She concluded that it had been her honor to serve with her colleagues and city staff, as well as an honor to serve the people of Shakopee.

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