Mount Clemens commission fails to fill vacant seat after repeated tied ballots

After several rounds of secret ballots and a brief public comment urging geographic balance, the Mount Clemens City Commission on Dec. 16 could not reach a majority to fill a vacant commissioner seat.

Resident Ruthie Stevenson urged the commission during public comment to appoint an East Side representative and recommended Dr. Goodnow, saying the choice should be “about time you know it’s more than just appointing to boards” and that the nominee was qualified. Stevenson stated she wanted “a face up here representing all of Mount Clemens.”

The commission considered five applicants: Brandon Galvats, Wanda Goodnough, Kathleen Kelchner, Christopher Lukritz and Gina Palazzolo. The first round of ballots showed Lukritz with 2 votes, Goodnough 3 and Palazzolo 1. Subsequent rounds produced no majority: one round reported Goodnough 3, Palazzolo 2 and Lukritz 1; later rounds resulted in a 3–3 tie between Goodnough and Palazzolo.

Commissioner Mensah moved to hold a special election to fill the vacancy. The motion was put to a roll-call vote and failed on a 3–3 split, leaving the body without an appointment. Members agreed to place the item back on the agenda for the next regular meeting; the chair noted the commission remains inside the 60-day window required by the city charter for filling vacancies.

The commission did not adopt further procedural changes at the Dec. 16 meeting. The vacancy will remain until the body secures a majority for one candidate or takes another action authorized by the charter.

What’s next: The commission intends to resume the appointment process at its next meeting; no special election was scheduled by the body after the failed motion.