Watertown Mayor Jeff Smith said the phone call he got from Councilmember Jessie Roshia, who needed to make an announcement at an upcoming city council meeting, was a shock.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roshia's job has been relocated to Syracuse and he had to step down. That was a shock for many in the city.
What You Need To Know
- Watertown City Councilor Jessia Roshia says COVID forcing his job relocation to Syracuse has led to his decision to step down from his council seat
- Watertown Mayor Jeff Smith says the decision was a shock, but he understands situations in life change, especially in these times
- The city is accepting resumes from those looking to fill the empty seat (starting Feb. 1), and says the city council should consider those who share the same qualities of Roshia, who the voters decided to elect
But Roshia's decision to step down from the council was also an announcement the mayor and many in the city understood.
"He was upset. He felt very disappointed,” Mayor Smith said of Roshia. “On the other hand, city council doesn't pay his family's bills.”
Mayor Smith said the job of being a city councilor isn't easy. It takes a true desire to want to serve and help both the city and all who live there.
"It's a great honor to serve your community and try to make your community a better place for the future and for now," Smith said, noting that there are a number of headaches that also come with it.
It's expected that the city will receive a number of applications for the job, which requires service until the end of the year.
Mayor Smith stresses, while council will make the final decision, it will do so with the voters who originally put Roshia in the seat, in mind.
"It's not what I want or what somebody else wants. I'd say you pick somebody in the mold of who the voters picked initially," Mayor Smith added.
Anyone interested in being considered must send a letter and resume to Mayor Smith's office by January 31.