There’s a new leader for Aberdeen City Council and she’s one of the newer council members.

Sydney Swor, who has served Ward 6 since January 2024, received the necessary city council votes for council president. Swor replaces Kacey Ann Morrison as council president. Morrison has not been removed from the city council, only as president. Morrison’s removal vote was 6 to 4 in favor.

“I’m honored to be the nominee and now council president,” Swor said Thursday morning. “Things have been tense to say the least, but I’m hopeful for a more balanced future.”

Swor’s goal of improving the city council starts with more communication amongst the entire city council.

“I plan to extend an open invitation to everyone on council to set a regular monthly/bi-monthly, one-on-one meeting to ensure they feel heard, supported, and that we’re addressing our issues collaboratively,” Swor said.

Councilor Liz Ellis made the motion to replace Morrison as president during the meeting’s “Good of the Order” section.

“Mayor (Orr) I would like to declare the current council president chair vacant and make a motion to elect a new chair,” Ellis said.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s meeting, both Ellis and Debi Pieraccini, another city councilor, reached out to nominate Swor for the role. Swor said others have shared their support to have her take the seat, as well.

The city council meetings have been full of both tension and crowds. One of the most recent reasons for the contentious atmosphere inside the current council chambers has been much of the public’s disgust over a social media gaffe from Aberdeen Mayor Doug Orr, in which — on his personal Facebook account — he questioned the reported assassination attempt of former U.S. president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump.

Orr deleted the post the same day he made it. Then he apologized for that Facebook post in an emailed letter to the council, city staff, and The Daily World about a day-and-a-half later, but the damage was already done. Before he was able to, his post was screenshot, primarily by Morrison and current Aberdeen City Councilor Riley Carter. Orr’s screenshot post was then shared far and wide and resulted in many stateside news outlets, as well as international news outlets, such as Daily Mail Online in the United Kingdom, running the story.

But, the contention has been over more than that one issue. Another issue has been about how to address the unhoused community who lives over near State and River streets. A fire in that area a couple weeks ago only added to the conflict and exacerbated vitriol from people who want them out of Aberdeen.

Through many city council meetings, private residents have conveyed through public comment, and at many times in vocal, interrupting bursts when it hasn’t been their turn to comment, about their frustrations with the state of the city and the city council. It’s clear, there’s a lot of anger shared each week.

On July 24, the date of the prior city council meeting, someone shouted and swore at the room full of people — standing room only as one city councilor called it — to shut up.

Another significant issue for the city council is the legislative body is a divided one. Many in the public see the division and they say in public comment how the city council is supposed to be a non-partisan role. But, there appears to be a bit of a political clique led by Morrison. Other people who are not on the council see it too.

And then, communication amongst the council itself has been lacking, according to Swor.

“Since joining the council, I have sent countless emails to council member Morrison that have gone unanswered,” Swor said. “On Monday, I specifically brought her leadership ability to question and that too went unanswered. Unfortunately, council member Morrison chose to only speak with half of us, and claimed that the rest of us ‘wouldn’t work with her,’ and that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Morrison didn’t attend Wednesday night’s meeting and it was noted. One resident asked “where is she?” That resident wasn’t the only person wondering why Morrison wasn’t there.

Don’t ask the council. According to Swor, the city councilors were not advised as to why Morrison did not attend.

The absence led to some dissent when it came to voting to remove Morrison as city council president. Councilor David Gakin, one of the people on council who tends to vote with Morrison on many different issues, questioned if it’s right to remove her when she wasn’t in attendance. His repeated reasoning was that Morrison wasn’t able to defend herself since she wasn’t in attendance.

Gakin also brought up how the attempted resolutions of “no confidence” and “censure” in regard to Orr that Carter and Morrison, respectively, were nixed by Ellis on July 24 because of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Swor defended Ellis’ stoppage of those resolution reads, and referred to Robert’s Rules of Order, which allow resolutions to be read during “Good of the Order.”

Ellis discussed the issues surrounding the council that were addressed in January. She strongly rebuked Morrison, who had served as city council president since January.

“In January, the city council and the mayor established priorities for the year,” Ellis said. “Among these were open communication, being respectful and being supportive of staff. The current council president has created a hostile environment for council members and has not upheld these important priorities. The council and the city need a council chair who will serve the city with respect, professionalism, promoting and welcoming discussion and opportunities to find common ground. … The current council president has excelled at keeping the public informed of city business and representing her constituents, but has not demonstrated the leadership this council needs to move forward to address important city business as a productive body.”

Repeatedly through several meetings, Morrison and others on the city council have interrupted the flow of the meetings, directing side comments to Orr. Orr’s been accused of not running the meetings well.

To add to the reasons to remove Morrison that Ellis provided, Pieraccini pointed to Morrison’s city council page, which was deleted on Thursday, according to a councilor. Pieraccini claimed there were comments on there “that don’t represent the city.”

“One of the things, if you go on her council page tonight, she is making comments that don’t represent the city, that are very slanderous (and) could cause lawsuits for our city,” Pieraccini said during the meeting. “You have to be able to represent the full council. When you go on a council page, you have to realize that what you’re saying is representing your city, and it’s not. It’s causing dissension. When I try to contact our council president I get no response, whatsoever. I get no comments back, and she is our leader.”

Gakin wanted to wait to further the discussion and have a vote until Morrison was in attendance so she could defend herself. Gakin wasn’t the only one who saw it that way.

But as Swor pointed out, per Robert’s Rules of Order — the rules that dictate how a public meeting be held —the city council was acting “within the scope” of the council’s role.

“I also do not ever receive a response from our council president, just by reaching out numerous times requesting conversation,” said Swor, who added what she’s heard private residents. “I think one of the biggest things I’ve hear from constituents is that, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing to watch us all behave this way.”

Swor wants to find a way to collaborate with everybody. She asserted Morrison has not done that.

“And after attempts to reach out being unsuccessful, I vote we move forward with this,” Swor said.

Orr called a roll call vote on Swor replacing Morrison as city council president after there were several “no” votes. The count was six votes for and four votes against. Councilors Ellis, John Maki, Pieraccini, Scott Prato, Stan Sidor, and Swor voted yes. Councilors Gakin, Deb Hodgkin, David Lawrence and Melvin Taylor voted no.

Riley Carter

Carter was not in attendance as he was booked into Grays Harbor County Jail Tuesday night for rape of a child first degree, according to the Grays Harbor County Jail roster. As of Thursday morning, Carter was in jail on a $150,000 cash or surety bond.

It remains to be seen what happens to Carter’s seat on the city council. But when asked about his seat given his jailing for such an offense, Swor provided a brief answer.

“I have no comment on the situation with Riley Carter at this time due to the ongoing investigation and immensely sensitive nature,” Swor said.

Contact reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com