Bethlehem City Council Reorganizes, Elects Evans as President

reorganized Tuesday evening, with new member Michael Recchiuti sworn in, along with re-elected members Robert Donchez and J. William Reynolds and city treasurer Kaija Farber.

In the only order of business on the new council's agenda, the governing board chose its president and vice president, to serve until the end of 2013.

It took three rounds of voting, but in the end, Eric Evans was narrowly elected president of Bethlehem City Council for the next two years.

Reynolds will serve as vice president.

With no second required for nominations, three of the seven-member council were nominated: Reynolds by Councilwoman Karen Dolan, Evans by outgoing president Robert Donchez and David DiGiacinto by Jean Belinski.

Dolan was the only one to speak at length prior to voting. Quoting from Robert's Rules of Order, she urged fellow council members to vote for the most experienced candidate, and asked all the nominees explain why they're qualified.

“An inexperienced council president is not what we need. We can't have someone learn the job on the job,” she said.

Reynolds has been on the city council for four years, two more years than Evans.

After two rounds of voting resulting in Reynolds with three votes, with Evans and DiGiacinto each receiving two, Reynolds pulled his name out of consideration.

“It seems clear we could go on with this exercise for quite a number of votes,” he said.

Dolan, who nominated Reynolds, said the amount of time the decision took should not be at issue.

“If it takes all night, we are charged with making a decision,” Dolan said. “If he doesn't with to be council president, he should just say so.”

“While it's something I do want to do...I was hoping this would be solved before this,” Reynolds said. “I just think someone needs to step aside.”

“I don't know what the rush is. It's ten of eight,” Dolan said. “Withdrawing your nomination doesn't make a difference.”

She added, “I'm disappointed you'd fold so easily, and I think someone with less experience should step down.”

“It's not my intention to go through several rounds of voting here,” Reynolds said. “I don't want to see this lose civility.”

Evans took the necessary four votes in the third round of voting, while DiGiacinto received three, with Dolan supplying the third in the final round.

Electing Reynolds as vice president took only one round. Nominated for the position by Recchuiti, he was voted in 4-2-1. Nolan received two votes, one from herself and the other from DiGiacinto, while the third candidate, DiGiacinto received one vote from Belinski.

Addressing the council, all Democrats, for the first time, Evans said, “It's done...We followed the rules, and now it's time to focus our attention back on the city.”