Fountain council debates timeline to fill Deidra Duncans vacant seat; charter petition rules set the options

The Fountain City Council spent more than an hour discussing how and when to fill the vacant seat left by Council Member Deidra Duncan after her resignation. The council did not vote; members asked staff to prepare a resolution once council decides when to declare the vacancy.

City Attorney: "the city does not, by policy comment on pending litigation," and "she, of course, remains innocent until proven guilty," the city attorney said, explaining why the city had not previously commented on charges reported in a local news article. The attorney said Duncan had directed communications be routed through her attorney and that she stepped back from committee assignments before submitting her resignation.

Why it matters: Filling the seat will change the councils makeup and affect committee appointments and regional representation; the choice of timeline also raises concerns about perceived influence on the concurrent municipal election.

At a staff briefing, City Clerk Joni Carnille reviewed the charter process the council must follow once it declares a vacancy under…