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Jackson sworn-in to seat by council
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Lew Jackson
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Campbell Mayor William VanSuch
By Jeanne Starmack
CAMPBELL
The city’s new 4th Ward councilman was sworn in Wednesday, and his face is a familiar one at city hall.
Lew Jackson, who had been city administrator until the end of last week, took over the 4th Ward seat from Juanita Rich, who is now council president.
She assumed that post from Bill VanSuch, who became mayor after George Krinos resigned last month.
VanSuch dismissed Jackson as administrator and hired Jack Dill on Jan. 28 to replace him.
Dill was mayor for 10 years until Krinos defeated him in the November 2009 election.
Jackson was chosen from three candidates.
The other two were Dill and resident Bob Yankle.
Rich said that when the candidates were interviewed Jan. 26, an important question was whether they would run again for the seat. Rich was half-way through her two-year term when the seat became vacant.
Jackson said he told council members he would stay involved and would consider running again.
Under the city’s home-rule charter, candidates decide in June whether to run for council and mayor.
Jackson told The Vindicator that he isn’t sure yet what he’ll do.
“I don’t know how it’s going to go,” Jackson said, adding that he needs to see the city’s leaders get along for the betterment of the city before he would want to continue in the post.
He said he didn’t want to go through any more fighting like that in the past year.
Krinos often accused council members of standing in his way, and council members complained that he didn’t want their input.
Jackson, who lives on Homestead Place, previously served as 4th Ward councilman from 1999 until 2004.
He became part-time administrator in 2005 and full-time administrator in 2007.
Council also appointed 1st Ward Councilman Mike Tsikouris council president pro-tem. He will assume the role of council president if Rich is unable to be at meetings.
He also will be in line for the mayor’s seat if it becomes vacant, according to the city’s charter.