Folsom City Council appoints former councilman Andy Morin to fill vacant seat

The Folsom City Council appointed former councilman Andy Morin to fill the seat vacated by Roger Gaylord earlier this month, drawing criticism from some in the community for passing over at least two other applicants who are Black.

Morin, 58, who previously served on the City Council for 16 years before leaving office in 2018, said he hopes to bring some of his experience budgeting and governing through the Great Recession to the current economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I would not have been interested in providing this option if the term was longer,” he said. “But if you haven’t served before, there is a learning curve and it’s steep.”

In the bid to fill Gaylord’s seat, 39 Folsom resident submitted an application to the city for the appointment, which would entail at least nine council meetings through the end of the year.

After nearly three hours of statements from applicants during the Tuesday meeting, the four-member council focused on three candidates — Morin; Stephen Heard, a Realtor who’s served on several city and community boards; and Dr. Eric Williams, a surgeon. Both Heard and Williams are Black.

Heard, a member of the city’s arts and cultural commission and the Folsom Chamber of Commerce board of directors, said in his application “I don’t have all of the answers, and I don’t do everything perfectly, but my goal is to try to make the world a better place.”

“I realize that with our current racial climate, as a person of color, my example is even more important than ever,” Heard wrote.

Councilman Mike Kozlowski had initially expressed support for either Heard or Williams to fill the vacant seat, saying “I just think we have an opportunity right now to demonstrate to a segment of the population of Folsom and to the wider population of the Sacramento area ... that Black lives matter, and that Black folks are welcome here in Folsom.”

In response, Councilwoman Kerri Howell said, “We’ve had a Black person on the council in the past. I totally support and appreciate the things that have happened nationwide.”

Councilman Ernie Sheldon, who said he’s married to an Asian woman, said, “I take offense that anyone would assume my negative (support) for Steve is based on race, that’s ridiculous.”

There has only been one Black councilman in Folsom, who served more than 20 years ago.

Howell, Sheldon and Kozlowski ultimately voted in favor of appointing Morin. Councilwoman Sarah Aquino, who was in favor of Heard, voted against the appointment.

Howell’s comment in particular drew some criticism from some in the community as dismissive about concerns over the council’s diversity.

Activist group Folsom for Justice posted on Facebook Wednesday, “Let’s continue to move forward and have the hard but necessary conversations we need to have as a community.”

Aquino, voicing her support for Heard, said besides issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, “the Black Lives Matter movement, that is what 80 percent of the calls, emails, and tags I get,” she said.

As for Morin, he said the council has “dealt with some of the stickiest issues in the last six months compared to what I have in the last 16 years.” He said he looks forward to learning and helping guide the city through the rest of the turbulent year.

“Certainly, we have the Black Lives Matter protests (and) that would be new, and I’d bring some of my opinions,” he said. “But there’s a learning curve there for me as well as for the city’s response.”

This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 1:22 PM.