Smylie Fills Vacant Chair, Softball Rolls Forward In Ione

Longtime resident Linda Smylie has been appointed to fill Ione City Council’s vacant seat for the remainder of the term. Smylie, also a candidate for the seat in the November election, was selected Tuesday night following interviews with two other applicants during the regular council meeting. Prior to the approval, during council member comments Dominic Atlan attempted to ask a follow-up question to the applicants a hypothetical question regarding a prior incident the council faced, a move member Stacy Rhoades called a “smear tactic”. The incident in question, a cut drainage pipe, was quickly dismissed by Mayor Jody Maita who called for a 5-minute recess. Atlan did not return for the remainder of the meeting. 

Additionally, the council heard from interested parties in the fate of girl’s softball at Howard Park. Members of the current program and Ione Little League shared proposals for each running the program and how work can be done to construct new space for the project within Howard Park. The council all agreed softball should have a dedicated space and asked that each entity draft proposals to be presented at a special meeting of the Parks & Rec commission at a special meeting to be held no later than next Wednesday. In other business, the council approved a restoration project for the Donny Tillery Memorial Bike Track as well as a public hearing on a new e-bike and scooter ordinance to be held at the next meeting.