Wagoner council appoints Debbie Hamilton to fill seat vacated by Patrick Sampson

The Wagoner City Council on Sept. 23 voted to appoint Debbie Hamilton to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of councilmember Patrick Sampson.

A councilmember nominated Hamilton at the special meeting, saying, “I’d like to recommend Debbie Hamilton. Debbie’s a business owner in town and highly involved in our community.” Council members then moved, seconded and held a roll-call vote; the council recorded affirmative votes from the members present and approved the appointment.

The appointment runs through April 2027, the council said during discussion. That term length means Hamilton will face election at the next scheduled election for that seat rather than serving a full multi-year term, council members clarified when asked for specifics.

Some council members said they would have preferred a special election instead of an appointment. “I think we should have called for a special election to make it fair,” one councilmember said during debate, noting the short remaining duration of the term. The council discussed the added cost of a special election and the routine practice of appointing someone to serve the remainder of a partial term.

Councillors also asked whether Hamilton’s other roles would create a legal conflict. “There’s not. It’s no different than us being on the WEDA or Public Works Board,” a councilmember replied in response to a question about service on a hospital board and management of rental property.

After the vote, a councilmember who participated in the roll call said they had voted in favor and disclosed a family relationship with Hamilton, saying she is a relative. The council did not record any recusals.

The special meeting began at about 6 p.m. and adjourned at 6:04 p.m.