Delaware County Council opened a Jan. 22 special meeting to nominate a council president but did not confirm a new president after the initial vote failed to secure the five votes needed.

Eugene Whitehead, nominated for president, spoke to the council about his experience and priorities. "I feel like, as president of the council, everybody that sits up here needs to be fully behind the president," Whitehead said, urging improved communication, transparency and accountability in county government.

Whitehead noted his prior service as president pro tem and cited committee experience and work on a job-classification system and salary adjustments. Another councilmember made a self-nomination in the same exchange; the clerk conducted a roll call, but the chair said the nomination had not received five votes, and the council did not complete an election of a new president during the special meeting.

With a president not confirmed, the council proceeded to open nominations for president pro tem and conducted the related motions and roll call. The council did not take further public action on the presidency at the Jan. 22 meeting; the chair and clerk said outstanding paperwork and procedure would be completed in subsequent meetings if necessary.

Next steps: the council moved forward with pro tem nominations at the same session and indicated unresolved leadership business would be addressed in future meetings.