To the Editor:

Thank you to those residents who exercised their right to vote by participating in our recent mayoral recall election and supporting our city employees.

Our work isn’t done.

Our city needs a mayor chosen by the people, not just a few city councilors.

John Day’s current system for filling vacant positions is unfair. Technically, the city council can pick the next mayor without input from the citizens of John Day. That’s not right.

Our votes should count:

• We elected the last mayor.

• We recalled her by voting.

• We should get to choose the next one.

If council members pick the mayor, we lose our say in who leads our city.

There’s a better way. Before appointing a new mayor, the council could use an advisory vote to ask voters who they want as mayor. It would be simple, fair and democratic.

Tell the city council: Let the people choose! Ask them to use an advisory question to poll voters before appointing a new mayor. Let’s make our voices heard!

Oren Wyss

John Day