MANSFIELD — Voting power on Mansfield City Council will shift to Republicans when the legislators convene in January, based on the results of November’s election.
That will lead to a change in leadership and assignments on the three-member committees, who guide legislation in their areas through council.
All eight voting council members on Wednesday evening attended an hour-long, Republican-called caucus to set positions for the 12 standing committees and also select a president pro-temp.
Among the eight voting members come January, five are Republicans — At-large members David Falquette and Stephanie Zader, 1st Ward Councilwoman Laura Burns, 3rd Ward Councilman Rev. El Akuchie and 6th Ward Councilwoman Deborah Mount.
There will be two Democrats — 2nd Ward Councilwoman Cheryl Meier and 4th Ward Councilwoman Cynthia Daley.
Daley and Mount will be new to council after wins in November. Falquette will be the senior voting member of council, first gaining election to represent the 1st Ward in 2017.
5th Ward Councilman Aurelio Diaz was elected as a Democrat in 2021, but announced he was dropping party affiliation and becoming independent five months into his first term.
Democrat Phil Scott, the legislator with the longest tenure, will take over as council president, voting only in the rare event of a tie.
It’s the first time the GOP was had a voting edge on City Council in recent memory.
Democrats hold eight committee chair assignments currently. Republicans hold three with the independent Diaz holding one.
As a result of Wednesday’s meeting, providing council approves the new slate when it convenes in January, Republicans will have eight committee chairs, Democrats will have two and Diaz will chair two.
Here is the lineup decided during the meeting:
Airport — Diaz as chair, Falquette as vice chair and Zader as member
Claims — Zader as chair, Akuchie as vice chair and Daley as member
Economic development — Falquette as chair, Burns as vice chair and Zader as member
Employee relations — Meier as chair, Akuchie as vice chair and Diaz as member
Finance & audit — Falquette as chair, Zader as vice chair and Mount a member
Public utilities — Burns as chair, Mount as vice chair and Daley as member
Parks & recreation — Burns as chair, Diaz as vice chair and Meier as member
Public affairs — Zader as chair, Meier as vice chair and Burns as member.
Rules — Akuchie as chair, Daley as vice chair and Burns as member
Safety — Meier as chair, Burns as vice chair and Akuchie as member
Streets & traffic — Diaz as chair, Meier as vice chair and Zader as member
Zoning — Mount as chair, Meier as vice chair and Falquette as member
When the new council meets in January, it will also welcome a new mayor (Republican Jodie Perry), finance director (Republican Kelly Blankenship) and new law director (Rollie Harper.)
Members selected Falquette to serve as president pro-term when Scott is unavailable.
