Gretchen Ezernak is the new chairperson of the Monroe City Council after multiple rounds of voting that one council member described her as “hilarious.”
The election of a new council chair is usually routine, either by maintaining the same chair or floating the chairmanship among members.
On Tuesday, it became obvious that there was an attempt to keep the chairmanship away from Juanita Woods from District 3.
When the council opened its meeting, Kema Dawson, the chairperson, opened the election for a new chairperson and nominated Ezernak as chairlady.
Ezernak, in turn, nominated Woods for chairlady.
When the vote was taken, Doug Harvey and Dawson voted for Ezernak, Woods voted no, and Ezernak abstained.
Ezernak said it was her understanding that she could not vote for herself for the position, but a city attorney advised that she could not be compelled to vote for herself but was encouraged to vote and not abstain.
Since Councilman Carday Marshall was absent, only four council members were present. The council was advised…