Even though there has been non-stop coverage of the Jeff Cooper v. Meghan Sahli-Wells race for the City Council since last Tuesday’s election, the headline winner, incumbent Scott Malsin, said today he is not suffering.
“I have hardly been ignored,” he laughed this morning when coming out of a subcommittee meeting.
“My lead was so commanding, there really was not so much to speak about.”
Mr. Malsin, favored from the start to lead the four-candidate field, earned 2,911 votes, a cushy 425 more than Mr. Cooper, who won the second Council seat.
From the start of vote-counting on Election Night in Council Chambers, Mr. Malsin’s victory never was in doubt.
Ms. Sahli-Wells and Mr. Cooper traded back and forth with the lead for the second seat before Mr. Cooper clinched a 31-vote win.
Mr. Malsin, though, never had to perspire. He was well in front from the time that City Clerk Martin Cole announced the first mail-in votes from the first precinct.
“My name was checked on the ballots of 58 percent of the voters,” he said. “That is pretty darned strong.”
His assessment:
“I read the margin the way that I framed my re-election campaign. The city is heading in the right direction, and experience counts.”
Does Mr. Malsin expect his second four-year term to play out differently than his first?
“I always have been a direct, outspoken Councilperson,” he said. “I am looking forward to what I believe will be a very collegial atmosphere.”
No mystery there.
Beginning Monday night at a 7 o’clock Council meeting that largely will be ceremonial, term-limited Gary Silbiger, with whom Mr. Malsin clashed, will be replaced by his friend Mr. Cooper, known for his unflappable congeniality.
“I never have any trouble with people disagreeing with me,” Mr. Malsin said. “But I don’t care for it when disagreements turn personal.
“This Council has a lot of promise.”
Meanwhile, at mid-day, Mr. Cooper was preparing for his first face-to-face meeting with Interim City Manager Lamont Ewell.
“I told you I wasn’t going to waste any time,” the new Councilman said with a wink, reminding a visitor he had pledged to contact Mr. Ewell yesterday and meet at the earliest moment.
“Mainly,” Mr. Cooper said, “this will be an introductory meeting. I want to find out what he thinks are the most important issues, and what his opinions are.”
