Oakley names new mayor, vice mayor

OAKLEY — With the Oakley City Council’s appointment of a new mayor and vice mayor on Dec. 9, Councilmember George Fuller was again bypassed for a top leadership position despite being next in line.

In a 4-1 vote, Councilmember Hugh Henderson was named as the city’s new mayor and Councilmember Aaron Meadows was selected as vice mayor. Fuller was the lone vote against the appointments.

Pending council approval, Oakley previously utilized a district rotation system for the positions, City Attorney Derek Cole said.

However, the City Council recently approved a change to its process that would rotate the vice mayor into the mayor position, while a councilmember who has not served would be eligible for vice mayor.

Under the current system, Fuller would have been next in line to serve as vice mayor. However, for the third time since 2023, the District 5 councilmember was bypassed.

Fuller was slated to be named as vice mayor in 2023. Without the council’s support, Councilmember Shannon Shaw was instead appointed.

In 2024, Fuller again failed to secure nominations from the council. Instead, Shaw was moved into the mayor role and Henderson was named as vice mayor.

Councilmember Anissa Williams nominated Meadows as vice mayor, citing a formal censure by the City Council in October against Fuller over allegations of “bullying and retaliatory actions” against city staff. Fuller also faced calls for his resignation after a third-party investigation of the allegations.

Fuller has rejected those allegations and called the censure brought by Shaw a “badge of honor.”

“We issued a censure several meetings ago. … No part of it has had any impact, so I would like to nominate the next most senior, which would be Councilmember Meadows,” said Williams.

Williams cited parts of the Oakley Municipal Code that allowed the council to bypass Fuller.

They include a violation of law or city policy, or has been or is being investigated for a violation of law or of policy; intemperate, rude, or disparaging remarks or conduct toward the public, staff or City Council; a lack of leadership or communications skills; and conduct that would be considered to be unprofessional or unbecoming of the position of mayor or vice mayor,