District 8 gained a new councillor when the city council selected Attorney Dan Cortell through an election process that demonstrated considerable success. Under the leadership of President Leo Robinson, the city council conducted the selection in a manner free from the quid pro quo politics of earlier decades that had preceded the city’s receivership. The candidates expressed appreciation for how the council handled the proceedings, with each feeling they had a genuine opportunity to prevail. Achieving such conditions in a political setting is uncommon, yet the councillors accomplished this through their demonstrated open-mindedness and general lack of predetermined allegiances. The voting necessarily began with initial choices by councillors, who understood these early decisions would likely shift within one or two ballots until a consensus candidate emerged. That consensus candidate proved to be Dan Cortell. The councillors themselves also emerged as winners from the process, having conducted themselves with dignity, intelligence and respect throughout the selection of the District 8 councillor.
A win for the city council
