Lightner Elected as Council President in Revote

A second San Diego City Council president vote Tuesday ended with the same results as the last: Councilwoman Sherri Lightner elected as leader.

Lightner was first voted in as council president last Wednesday, ousting incumbent Todd Gloria, after private, one-on-one-meetings among six council members.

There was no majority quorum and the talks did not violate the state’s open meetings law, the Ralph M. Brown Act. However, the meetings are banned under the act’s serial meetings clause.

NBC 7 alerted the City Attorney’s office to the potential problem last week. To remedy the situation, Lightner called for a special meeting Tuesday to request another vote.

"The revote on the council president is the cure provided by Brown Act that was recommended by the City Attorney's office," said Lightner to the council Tuesday. "This action will quickly and simply address any concerns."

On Tuesday evening, a 6-1 vote elected Lightner as president. Gloria was the lone dissenting voice.

In the lead up to the vote, Executive Assistant City Attorney Paul Cooper said reporting by NBC 7’s Wendy Fry helped lead to the revote.

Lighter said the City Attorney’s office will be conducting a refresher course on the Brown Act in the new year. She also told the council she wants to set a tone of transparency and openness here, at the beginning of her one-year term as president.

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