There was one vote last night at the City Council meeting that I do have some background on, the vote for City Clerk.

Our mayor, John Moak, used to be City Clerk. The City Council has known since the election in November that the position needed to be filled. (The City Clerk works for and is appointed by the City Council.)

There were a variety of applicants one of which was a City Councilor, Jeremy Gillis.

Jeremy Gillis is a young man who has a Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice. He is currently working in a retail shop where his skills are under-utilized. He is well qualified for the job and it would be a very good career move for Mr. Gillis.

The caveat is that Mr. Gillis has taken some very controversial political positions that have angered some of his fellow city councilors.

And to apply for City Clerk, Jeremy Gillis had to step down from the City Council. There is an election for his seat, and if Mr. Gillis wishes to run in that election he has to turn in his papers today. If the City Council had made a decision last night, it would have been very clear what Mr. Gillis’s choice would be today. (At the moment I have no idea what he has decided to do.)

Although I strongly disagree with many of Mr. Gillis’s positions, I have always found him to be a thoughtful, conscientious and fair man someone I am always able to talk to.

Last night I would have voted for Mr. Gillis, because my own opinion is he would be quite capable of being impartial in the job as City Clerk. And also, there is someone who is much more in line with my own political beliefs running for his seat. So, if that person were elected, that would help change the balance of the City Council.

I could only shake my head in disbelief last night, along with Tom OBrien, the head of the City Council. And of course wonder what Mr. Gillis will do now and how this “Gordian knot” of a “political drama” will continue to unfold.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport