Wormley turns down Geneva City Council appointment

City Council members and administration learned Wednesday that Edith Wormley is not accepting the position. Council voted unanimously at a special meeting Tuesday to appoint her to fill the vacant Ward 6 position.

The city administration released no information on the surprising development, but Ward 5 Councilor Jason Hagerman said by email Wednesday that “Council was informed this afternoon that Ms. Wormley has advised City Manager Sage Gerling that she will not be accepting the appointment to the Ward 6 Council seat. While I’ve not personally spoken with Edith Wormley, the reasons include disappointment in a lack of communication from the city regarding the process since the meeting last week. She laments the dubious amount of misperceptions from both the community and the Council. However her affection for Geneva remains steadfast.”

Last week, Council failed to fill the Ward 6 Council seat when it deadlocked 4-4 on successive resolutions to appoint either Democrat Juanita Aikens or John Pruett, a Libertarian endorsed by the city Republican Committee. They are the two candidates vying for the seat this November.

Later in that meeting, former city councilor Jackie Augustine put forth another idea: Appoint someone not running in November. She suggested Wormley, who said at the meeting that she would accept the appointment to ensure the Ward 6 had Council representation but that she was not seeking it.