Kennedy newest member of Clarksburg City Council

Council met during a special meeting called by Mayor Cathy Goings to hold a vote on the matter. The vote was 5-1 in favor of making Kennedy the next member of council, with Councilman Zeke Lopez dissenting.

Kennedy will take the seat vacated by former councilman Patsy Trecost, who resigned last month to become a delegate in the West Virginia Legislature.

Wednesday’s special meeting ended quickly, with Council voting and adjourning in a matter of minutes. There was little in the way of discussion, and the tone was light.

The vote was met with applause from many of those in attendance.

After the vote, Council remained in session to swear in Kennedy, whose family was present to witness the occasion.

“Obviously, I’m very happy and humbled to become a member of Clarksburg City Council and to follow in the footsteps of so many other members of council who came before me,” Kennedy said after the meeting. “I look forward to working with the other six members of council, rolling up our sleeves and making the city of Clarksburg a better place.”

Kennedy was the next highest vote-getter in the 2013 City Council election, meaning he would have replaced Trecost by default had Council taken no action on the matter.

But members of Council seemed happy to have the issue resolved Wednesday through a formal vote.

“I’m very pleased with the direction this went in today,” Goings said. “We have several major projects, and we don’t want to lose the momentum. We just want to keep going, and I think Ryan will fit right in.”

Councilwoman Margaret Bailey echoed those sentiments.

“I’m extremely optimistic for our future here in Clarksburg,” Bailey said. “The citizens of Clarksburg have long deserved to see smiles on the faces of City Council, and I have a big smile today.”

Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, Lopez — through attorney Greg Schillace — sent a letter to Goings expressing concern about Kennedy’s possible appointment.

The Jan. 21 letter raised two main issues: Kennedy’s employment at Robinson & McElwee, a law firm that performs services for the city; and Kennedy’s potential involvement in the petition — filed by three members of Council and prepared by attorney Tom Dyer — to remove Lopez from office after his conviction on charges of misdemeanor domestic assault.

Though the issues didn’t come up during the special meeting, Kennedy addressed both concerns after adjournment Wednesday.

“Prior to running for the office back in 2013, I sought a formal opinion from the Ethics Commission to make sure it wouldn’t be a conflict for me to be a city councilman, and they gave me their blessing that it was not a conflict,” Kennedy said.

As for his involvement in the petition to remove Lopez from council, Kennedy said, “The allegations are simply inaccurate.

“As I said before, the stuff that was written in that case was written by Tom Dyer. That’s his work product.”

For his part, Lopez said he’s ready and willing to work with Kennedy on City Council moving forward.

“The meeting went as I thought it would. I hope he works out,” Lopez said. “He seems like a real nice kid, but I had some concerns, and I still have some concerns. Time will tell.”

Staff writer Jeremiah Shelor can be reached at (304) 626-1409 or by email at jshelor@theet.com