http://66.225.205.104/JR20100615a.mp3
The Charlotte City Council ignored concerns of favoritism and appointed the son of Susan Burgess to fill her vacant seat on the council last night. Susan Burgess was not at last night's city council meeting, but her former colleagues made sure her presence was felt. "Those of you watching on TV, I want to say a special hello to our colleague, Susan Burgess," said Mayor Anthony Foxx, in opening the council meeting. "I know you're watching Susan and we're still thinking about you and praying for you." Foxx led a 30-minute debate that ended in the council choosing Burgess' son, Jason, to fill her vacant seat. Susan Burgess asked the council do just that when she resigned last week because of terminal cancer. Twenty-four people expressed interest in filling the vacant seat. Only three of them showed up to speak to the city council last night. Burgess pledged to maintain his mother's political legacy. "She and I both believe that I am the most qualified for that job," said Jason Burgess. "No one can replace my mother, but if appointed I pledge to be thoughtful in my deliberations, to study the issues thoroughly, to make fair decisions and to be attentive to constituent needs." Another candidate, Nancy Wiggins, expressed concern the council had already made up its mind and wasn't giving all 24 of the applicants enough consideration. "This is a due process issue," said Wiggins. "While Jason's a nice guy, I for one am a bit worried there will only be two women on the city council." Several members of the council voted to delay the decision until next week, saying they had received numerous emails from citizens concerned about favoritism, or that the council was rushing into a decision. Still, in a vote of 8 to 2, Jason Burgess was appointed. He is a Democrat and a surgeon in Charlotte. He has pledged not to run for re-election when his mother's term expires in 2011. That's a city council custom, though not a requirement. Also in keeping with custom, the council elected Patrick Cannon as mayor pro tem. The position typically goes to the at-large councilmember who received the most votes in the last election. Cannon hold's that distinction after Susan Burgess.