Carson Council Appoints Retiree to Replace Mills

The victorious majority in the April Carson City Council election has filled a council vacancy with a parks and recreation commissioner who supported their campaigns, avoiding an election for the seat and drawing criticism from unsuccessful aspirants.

The vacancy was created by the April 26 death of Councilman Tom Mills.

The selection of John Anderson, 70, who is black, restores a racial mix to the council that was disturbed earlier this year when Mills, who had been the sole black on the council, stopped attending meetings because of illness.

The appointment of Anderson cancels the need for a special election, which would have automatically been scheduled for Nov. 8. It ends a two-year period in which the council functioned most of the time with four members because of Mills’ illness and the legal problems of former Carson Councilman Walter J. (Jake) Egan, who was convicted in 1986 of political corruption charges involving mail fraud and extortion.

Longstanding Alliance

The move may also have the effect of outflanking the longstanding political alliance between Councilwoman Sylvia Muise, who is white, and a substantial sector of the black community that has supported her and a succession of black councilmen, including Mills, who voted with her on key issues.

On Tuesday, Muise voted against Anderson’s appointment, saying she knew where his allegiance lies. Voting for Anderson were Mayor Kay Calas, Michael Mitoma and Vera Robles DeWitt. Anderson is a retired employee of Security Pacific National Bank.

“Of course, when you have three votes, you can do what you want to do,” Muise said before the vote. “I see I will be on the short end of the vote.” She said she preferred to have an election.

Mitoma said Anderson would end “factionalism” on the council that has led to many 3-2 votes. He also said it was important to have a black on the council.

Promote Stability

DeWitt said she hoped the selection of Anderson would promote calm and stability.

But the initial reaction was anything but calm.

While Anderson was taking the oath of office and the meeting continued, groups of disappointed contenders and their supporters, as well as defenders of the decision, spilled out into the council chamber lobby, discussing the choice so loudly that the doors to the chamber were closed and locked.

Aaron Carter, a candidate backed by Muise and Mills in the April 12 election, said the three members of the council majority “are repaying” Anderson for his support in the black community during the campaign.

Carter, who came in fourth, said he should have been appointed because he finished just behind the three who won. “I would never take anything I have not earned,” he said.

Carter also declared that Anderson would be “a lackey” of Calas, Mitoma and DeWitt. “They have a fourth vote on the council,” he said bitterly.

Creating Racial Divisiveness

He also accused Mitoma of fostering racial divisiveness because the councilman said race was a factor in appointing Anderson.

“It is a sad day when this could happen,” said Carter, who is black.

Charles Peters, a black planning commissioner aligned with Calas, Mitoma and DeWitt, took umbrage at Carter’s remarks.

Standing a few feet from Carter, Peters said loudly, “He (Carter) is a lackey for Sylvia Muise. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Peters also attacked Carter’s claim that he should have been appointed since he was the fourth-place finisher in the three-seat election April 12.

“Fourth highest is not divine right,” he said. “What you are hearing is sour grapes, just sour grapes.”

In response to Carter’s comment about racial divisiveness, Mitoma said later: “He would like to have been the black person (chosen). . . . I feel it is essential that racial balance be represented on the council.”

In the lobby a few feet from Peters and Carter was Gaddis Farmer, a black running as an independent who came in fifth April 12. Farmer said he was shocked at the choice.

“I don’t know what he stands for. He has never run for office. He has never spoken out on issues,” he said.

Anderson, a familiar figure in Carson at functions for senior citizens, has been a parks and recreation commissioner for a year. Retiring as a trust officer at Security Pacific Bank in 1981, he teaches tennis. He was born in Greenville, S.C.

After the council meeting, he said he had supported Mills and Muise in 1982 and 1986 and then switched to Mitoma.

“It was just a commitment,” he said. “I had no other reason. When Mike ran, he called me to support him and I said, ‘Yes,’ and I followed through.”

He said he would not be a lackey of any council members but would be able to work with all of them.

“My relationship with Sylvia is good,” he said.

After the meeting, Calas commented on the uproar that the Anderson appointment had caused.

“You can never please everybody,” she said.