Copeland leaving Saco City Council to serve in the legislature

SACO — Ward 4 Councilor Lynn Copeland will be leaving the City Council to serve in the legislature.

On Tuesday, voters in State House District 14 elected Copeland to be their next State Representative.

Copeland on Thursday submitted her letter of resignation from the City Council, effective Dec. 7, to City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath.

Copeland was elected to a three-year term to the City Council in November 2019. It was her second term on the council.

And although the council term that Copeland is vacating doesn’t end until 2022, the vacancy should be filled by an appointment and not by an election, wrote City Attorney Tim Murphy.

The City Charter states that should a councilor vacate a seat less than 12 months prior to the next municipal election, the remaining members of the Council may appoint an eligible person to fill the unexpired term.

The City Charter specifically refers to the “next regular municipal election” and not to the end of a term of office. So, even though the Ward 4 term of office does not end until 2022, the next municipal election is Nov. 2, 2021, less than a year after Copeland’s resignation. Thus, the council should appoint her replacement and not hold a special election, said Murphy.

Murphy stated this rule in the charter was written when council terms and municipal elections were held every two years, and was not amended when the city switched to three year staggered council terms.

“I’d be beyond pleased if the next Ward 4 Saco City Councilor were a woman. I firmly believe the Council should reflect the community. It was one of the reasons why I initially ran,” said Copeland in an email. “There are a lot of female leaders in Ward 4, and I’d ask them to stand up and throw their hat in and let Mayor Doyle know they are interested in serving our great community as the next Ward 4 Councilor.”

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.