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News


SYDNEY SWOR IS ABERDEEN’S NEW CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

By Matthew N. Wells • August 2, 2024 9:20 am



There’s a new leader for Aberdeen City Council and she’s one of the newer
council members.

Sydney Swor, who has served Ward 6 since January 2024, received the necessary
city council votes for council president. Swor replaces Kacey Ann Morrison as
council president. Morrison has not been removed from the city council, only as
president. Morrison’s removal vote was 6 to 4 in favor.

“I’m honored to be the nominee and now council president,” Swor said Thursday
morning. “Things have been tense to say the least, but I’m hopeful for a more
balanced future.”


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Swor’s goal of improving the city council starts with more communication amongst
the entire city council.

“I plan to extend an open invitation to everyone on council to set a regular
monthly/bi-monthly, one-on-one meeting to ensure they feel heard, supported, and
that we’re addressing our issues collaboratively,” Swor said.

Councilor Liz Ellis made the motion to replace Morrison as president during the
meeting’s “Good of the Order” section.

“Mayor (Orr) I would like to declare the current council president chair vacant
and make a motion to elect a new chair,” Ellis said.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s meeting, both Ellis and Debi Pieraccini, another city
councilor, reached out to nominate Swor for the role. Swor said others have
shared their support to have her take the seat, as well.

The city council meetings have been full of both tension and crowds. One of the
most recent reasons for the contentious atmosphere inside the current council
chambers has been much of the public’s disgust over a social media gaffe from
Aberdeen Mayor Doug Orr, in which — on his personal Facebook account — he
questioned the reported assassination attempt of former U.S. president and
current Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump.




Orr deleted the post the same day he made it. Then he apologized for that
Facebook post in an emailed letter to the council, city staff, and The Daily
World about a day-and-a-half later, but the damage was already done. Before he
was able to, his post was screenshot, primarily by Morrison and current Aberdeen
City Councilor Riley Carter. Orr’s screenshot post was then shared far and wide
and resulted in many stateside news outlets, as well as international news
outlets, such as Daily Mail Online in the United Kingdom, running the story.

But, the contention has been over more than that one issue. Another issue has
been about how to address the unhoused community who lives over near State and
River streets. A fire in that area a couple weeks ago only added to the conflict
and exacerbated vitriol from people who want them out of Aberdeen.

Through many city council meetings, private residents have conveyed through
public comment, and at many times in vocal, interrupting bursts when it hasn’t
been their turn to comment, about their frustrations with the state of the city
and the city council. It’s clear, there’s a lot of anger shared each week.

On July 24, the date of the prior city council meeting, someone shouted and
swore at the room full of people — standing room only as one city councilor
called it — to shut up.

Another significant issue for the city council is the legislative body is a
divided one. Many in the public see the division and they say in public comment
how the city council is supposed to be a non-partisan role. But, there appears
to be a bit of a political clique led by Morrison. Other people who are not on
the council see it too.



And then, communication amongst the council itself has been lacking, according
to Swor.

“Since joining the council, I have sent countless emails to council member
Morrison that have gone unanswered,” Swor said. “On Monday, I specifically
brought her leadership ability to question and that too went unanswered.
Unfortunately, council member Morrison chose to only speak with half of us, and
claimed that the rest of us ‘wouldn’t work with her,’ and that couldn’t be
further from the truth.”

Morrison didn’t attend Wednesday night’s meeting and it was noted. One resident
asked “where is she?” That resident wasn’t the only person wondering why
Morrison wasn’t there.

Don’t ask the council. According to Swor, the city councilors were not advised
as to why Morrison did not attend.

The absence led to some dissent when it came to voting to remove Morrison as
city council president. Councilor David Gakin, one of the people on council who
tends to vote with Morrison on many different issues, questioned if it’s right
to remove her when she wasn’t in attendance. His repeated reasoning was that
Morrison wasn’t able to defend herself since she wasn’t in attendance.

Gakin also brought up how the attempted resolutions of “no confidence” and
“censure” in regard to Orr that Carter and Morrison, respectively, were nixed by
Ellis on July 24 because of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Swor defended Ellis’ stoppage of those resolution reads, and referred to
Robert’s Rules of Order, which allow resolutions to be read during “Good of the
Order.”

Ellis discussed the issues surrounding the council that were addressed in
January. She strongly rebuked Morrison, who had served as city council president
since January.

“In January, the city council and the mayor established priorities for the
year,” Ellis said. “Among these were open communication, being respectful and
being supportive of staff. The current council president has created a hostile
environment for council members and has not upheld these important priorities.
The council and the city need a council chair who will serve the city with
respect, professionalism, promoting and welcoming discussion and opportunities
to find common ground. … The current council president has excelled at keeping
the public informed of city business and representing her constituents, but has
not demonstrated the leadership this council needs to move forward to address
important city business as a productive body.”

Repeatedly through several meetings, Morrison and others on the city council
have interrupted the flow of the meetings, directing side comments to Orr. Orr’s
been accused of not running the meetings well.



To add to the reasons to remove Morrison that Ellis provided, Pieraccini pointed
to Morrison’s city council page, which was deleted on Thursday, according to a
councilor. Pieraccini claimed there were comments on there “that don’t represent
the city.”

“One of the things, if you go on her council page tonight, she is making
comments that don’t represent the city, that are very slanderous (and) could
cause lawsuits for our city,” Pieraccini said during the meeting. “You have to
be able to represent the full council. When you go on a council page, you have
to realize that what you’re saying is representing your city, and it’s not. It’s
causing dissension. When I try to contact our council president I get no
response, whatsoever. I get no comments back, and she is our leader.”

Gakin wanted to wait to further the discussion and have a vote until Morrison
was in attendance so she could defend herself. Gakin wasn’t the only one who saw
it that way.

But as Swor pointed out, per Robert’s Rules of Order — the rules that dictate
how a public meeting be held —the city council was acting “within the scope” of
the council’s role.

“I also do not ever receive a response from our council president, just by
reaching out numerous times requesting conversation,” said Swor, who added what
she’s heard private residents. “I think one of the biggest things I’ve hear from
constituents is that, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing to watch us all behave
this way.”

Swor wants to find a way to collaborate with everybody. She asserted Morrison
has not done that.

“And after attempts to reach out being unsuccessful, I vote we move forward with
this,” Swor said.

Orr called a roll call vote on Swor replacing Morrison as city council president
after there were several “no” votes. The count was six votes for and four votes
against. Councilors Ellis, John Maki, Pieraccini, Scott Prato, Stan Sidor, and
Swor voted yes. Councilors Gakin, Deb Hodgkin, David Lawrence and Melvin Taylor
voted no.

Riley Carter

Carter was not in attendance as he was booked into Grays Harbor County Jail
Tuesday night for rape of a child first degree, according to the Grays Harbor
County Jail roster. As of Thursday morning, Carter was in jail on a $150,000
cash or surety bond.

It remains to be seen what happens to Carter’s seat on the city council. But
when asked about his seat given his jailing for such an offense, Swor provided a
brief answer.



“I have no comment on the situation with Riley Carter at this time due to the
ongoing investigation and immensely sensitive nature,” Swor said.

Contact reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com




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