Chowchilla council sworn in; mayor’s seat at stalemate

Two new members of City Council took their seats here Tuesday, as did two interim officials, but the panel could not agree on who should serve as the city’s top official during the next two years.

Waseem Ahmed, 45, and Mary “Trinket” Gaumnitz, 51, were the top two vote-getters in last month’s election. They took their oaths of office Tuesday from City Clerk Nanci Lima.

Also sworn in during the meeting was Carolyn Lehr, who will serve as the interim city administrator. Finally, the council approved the appointment of Lt. David Riviere as interim chief of police.

The new members of the council replace Janan Hebert, who finished third in votes, and Isaac Jackson, who did not seek re-election.

Ahmed, a businessman, said he’s anxious to make decisions on the council, and appreciated the support of the voters. “I look forward to working with my fellow council members and serving my community,” he said. “It’s not a one-man show. It’s a team effort.”

He has said the city needs be able to afford to be competitive in paying Chowchilla’s police officers and firefighters. Also, because the city has limited funds, Ahmed said, partnerships with other agencies could help solve the city’s water problems.

Gaumnitz, who teaches students with special needs, noted that there are important decisions on the horizon for the new council, which will need to find full-time replacements for both the city’s top cop and top administrator. “It means a great deal to me that I have so many citizens that have faith and confidence in my ability,” she said.

The city will ask for applications for police chief through February. Jay Varney, Chowchilla’s former chief of police, won his bid to be Madera County sheriff. He will be sworn into office Jan. 5, according to Erica Stuart, spokeswoman for the Madera County Sheriff’s Department.

In the interim, Riviere will hold the office of top cop. Involved with the city’s police since 1993, he’s served as a lieutenant for about two years. Riviere said he intends to apply for the full-time chief’s position.

The City Council voted last month to hire Lehr as interim city administrator. According to the contract, she could serve through April 30 at $12,207 per month plus additional benefits for retirement, temporary housing and a cellphone bill. Though already serving, she was officially sworn in at Tuesday’s meeting.

She replaced former City Administrator Mark Lewis, who in September reached an agreement with the city that began with his immediate resignation. On administrative leave since early that month, Lewis agreed to part with a nine-month, $122,525 severance package, according to Laura Crane, an attorney for the city.

Once the new council members took the dais, they were to vote on who will serve the next two years as mayor and mayor pro-tem.

Only four members were present, because Councilman Dennis Haworth was absent, and the appointing of the mayor came to a standstill. Sitting Mayor Richard Walker and Gaumnitz voted to appoint Walker to another two years, while Councilman John Chavez and Ahmed voted for Chavez to serve in the position.

With the vote at a stalemate, the city clerk continued the meeting to 7 p.m. Tuesday, when the vote will be taken again.

This story was originally published December 12, 2014 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Chowchilla council sworn in; mayor’s seat at stalemate."