Pleasanton council votes to reject mayor's choice to replace Skipper
- Roger Sims, Journal Staff
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Roger Sims
PLEASANTON – The four members of the Pleasanton City Council Monday, Jan. 5, unanimously voted for City Attorney Jacklyn Paletta to draft a resolution that would declare Mayor Mathew Young’s appointment of Ron Miller to fill a council seat vacated on Dec. 22 “unfit or unqualified” to be appointed to the post.
At the beginning of the Monday’s meeting, municipal Judge John Purvis sat at the back of the council chambers wearing judicial attire, prepared to administer the oath of office to a new council member. Ron Miller sat in the audience expecting the nomination.
The mayor began the meeting by requesting the council consider his nomination so that the city’s governing body could return to a full five-member council following the abrupt resignation of Bill Skipper at the previous meeting.
At the end of the council meeting on Dec. 22, Skipper expressed his frustration at the number of needed repairs on several projects that remained incomplete and the lack of supervision and inefficiency in public works. While he praised street supervisor Taylor Bruce as the best department head, he was critical of others.
“We need to do something and our people need to take ownership,” he said in announcing that he was stepping down from his post.
Young has basically chosen to use the election results to fill empty seats on the council. Although the council balked at the appointment of Alex Wills late last year to fill the post vacated by the unexpected death of Angie Randall, they relented and approved Wills’ appointment.
At the Nov. 10 meeting, the council was faced with the same dilemma. Paletta told them that if they did not approve the mayor’s appointment, they would have to vote to draft a resolution stating that Wills was either unfit or unqualified to be appointed.
That was a step that councilmembers Rochelle Schreckhise, Bill Skipper and Aaron Portman were unwilling to take.
In making the appointment on Monday, Young skipped over Portmann, who garnered enough write-in votes should the mayor have chosen on the basis of most votes. Portmann and the mayor have been at odds over several issues over the past two years. He also skipped over David Schuermann, choosing Miller instead.
There was a long silence after Young announced his choice. Finally, freshman Councilman Kenny Stark spoke up.
“I’m not prepared to support the nomination you put forth,” Stark said, adding that he would vote against Miller’s appointment.
Council president Schreckhise agreed with Stark, and it was quickly apparent there was a consensus to not approve the mayor’s appointment.
Schreckhise made the motion to proceed with drafting the resolution, and Stark seconded the motion.
Young asked for a reason, and Schreckhise quickly responded, “Bias,” without further explanation.
The mayor challenged the validity of the motion. “I’m not sure bias falls under unfit or unqualified,” he said.
However, the council’s attorney after studying state statute said that she didn’t see any requirement that the council provide specifics on the resolution.
The council, including Wills and freshman Councilwoman Sandra Haynes voted for drafting the resolution. It is expected to receive a final vote at the commission’s next meeting on Jan. 20.
In a post on his social media page on Monday evening, Miller posted,”On 5 January 2026, I didn’t get chosen to fill the appointment for the vacant seat of city council because I happen to be friends with the Mayor.
“If the City of Pleasanton gets investigated for past crimes against the citizens. The paperwork has been ready for months for me to send it to the Attorney General and the US General. I don’t care about the appointment but the corruption will be stopped.”
He didn’t elaborate on his comments.
Comments