Tacoma's Public Works Commissioner Refuses to Vacate His Seat
David D. Dement says his term has not ended and will hold office until a successor is appointed, setting up a municipal power struggle with Mayor Orr.
TACOMA, May 10.—Special.—Ex-President David D. Dement of the board of public works, who Mayor Orr says is not a member any longer because his term has expired, has returned from Portland. He said that he had not been removed and that, despite the mayor’s notice, he would hold office until his successor had been appointed. This will precipitate a special municipal election and possible litigation.
The mayor, it is thought, will not appoint anyone to fill Mr. Dement’s place, but will see if the board can run with two members. Several local authorities have been consulted on the matter, and they say that two members of the board can legally act and that the board will be a legal body if there is no third member.
There are a score or more candidates for the position made vacant by the expiration of Dement’s term. Among them are W. J. Fife, George H. Holliday, H. W. Baker, Fred Watson and A. J. Hayward. The names of S. K. Blackwell, R. B. Miller and E. S. Alexander have also been mentioned by their friends. Dement continues to hold the position, notwithstanding the mayor’s notification that he is no longer in office.
“He said that he had not been removed and that, despite the mayor's notice, he would hold office until his successor had been appointed.”
The standoff over an expired term and a mayor’s appointment power anticipates today’s fights over lame-duck officials, acting appointees and legal interpretations of who actually holds office. Then as now, the question was less about one commissioner than about control of city government.
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