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Pasadena Councilmember Felicia Williams says incoming vice mayor took away her full term – Pasadena Star News

Pasadena leaders unanimously elected Councilmember Felicia Williams to serve as vice mayor in 2023 before Coucilmember Steve Madison assumed the role in 2024. (File photos by Bradley Bermont/SCNG)

At the Pasadena City Council’s Monday, Dec. 11, reorganization meeting, outgoing Pasadena Vice Mayor Felicia Williams strayed from her pre-written speech to accuse new Vice Mayor Steve Madison of taking away her second year in the position.

“Today is a very sad day in Pasadena,” she said. “In the past, the vice mayor has served for two years but as many of you know, my second year as vice mayor was taken away by a man who felt that he was entitled to serve as vice mayor for a second time, even though this was my only first time.”

Williams was elected vice mayor at the city’s Dec. 12, 2022 reorganization meeting, but rather than serve two years in the role as has become recent practice, the council voted to split the term of the office, with Madison serving the second year, in 2024. He previously served as vice mayor from 2005-2007.

Typically, the council has nominated the most senior member who had not already previously served, putting Williams in line for the office in just her first term on the council.

At last year’s meeting, Williams was nominated as vice mayor, but Madison expressed concern that Williams had not yet served a full term on the council, noting that no vice mayor in recent history had served less than four years. He also pointed out that there is no provision in the city’s charter barring a council member who previously served from becoming vice mayor again.

While there is no language in the city charter barring first-term members from serving as vice mayor either, if the council ignored the latter norm and enforced the former, it would put Madison next in line for vice mayorship.

Ultimately, Williams made a motion to share the office with Madison, proposing he take the first term and she serve in 2024. However the order was switched to allow Madison to end his current term as vice mayor.

At the time, Williams agreed to the arrangement, which passed unanimously. But in her speech Monday night said she felt pressured to “capitulate” to the more senior Madison’s request to share the office.

In her speech, Williams listed some of her term’s highlights, including chairing contentious council meetings in the mayor’s absence, hosting a Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, Women’s History Month self defense class, and riding in the Black History Parade.

“I’ve proven to the men and the one woman who said that I did not have enough experience to be vice mayor for a second year, I’ve proven them wrong,” Williams said. “And now at the end of my short term, I’m sad. I’m not just sad to end as vice mayor but I’m also sad that the Pasadena that I knew growing up doesn’t seem to have changed much.”

Following Williams’ speech, Councilmember Tyron Hampton — who seconded Williams’ motion to share the position last year — said he would support voting for her to have a second term if Madison was open to the idea. Madison accepted the role of vice mayor at the end of the reorganization meeting.

He added that he was surprised by Williams’ comments, pointing out that it was Williams who suggested the compromise, and encouraged people to check the minutes from last year.

“It’s such an honor for me to become vice mayor,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to serve and bringing the benefit of my experience and the wisdom that I hope I gained in my time here to assist you and all the members of council.”

The city council has assembled a task force to look at possible city charter amendments, including the vice mayor position, which Madison requested at last year’s reorganization meeting.

 


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