Vice-Mayor Sealock will continue as ‘acting mayor’

Following a work session Monday night, May 6, the Front Royal Town Council adjourned to closed session to discuss its mayoral situation in the wake of the resignation of Mayor Hollis Tharpe effective May 2. After initially placing himself on administrative leave in the wake of a grand jury indictment for solicitation of prostitution regarding a massage parlor visit, Tharpe announced his decision to resign to prevent his legal issues from becoming a distraction to the conduct of town business. Tharpe has maintained his innocence of the charge against him.

While no announcement was made when council re-adjourned to open session and the work session was quickly concluded, Town Attorney Doug Napier explained to the media present how council has chosen to proceed.

He said he has been instructed by council to petition the Circuit Court to determine exactly what language in the state code referencing elections to fill vacant elected-body local government seats in “the next municipal election” means precisely. Napier noted that while the County has an upcoming municipal election this November, the Town’s next scheduled election is not until November 2020.

While legal clarity on that issue is being sought, council has decided to proceed as it has in the wake of Hollis Tharpe’s resignation with Vice-Mayor Bill Sealock serving as acting mayor in the role of chief parliamentarian in chairing council meetings and work sessions.

Vice-Mayor Sealock has taken to his mayoral responsibilities with a smile and focus on moving things along in a timely manner. Royal Examiner File Photo/Roger Bianchini

So legally council will continue to have six members, including its vice mayor, while the mayor’s seat remains vacant. Consequently Sealock will retain his vote on all matters before council leading to the potential of 3-3 ties with no mayoral tie-breaking vote available.

“Mr. Sealock will remain the acting mayor until the next ‘succeeding municipal election’ unless we get direction from the Circuit Court that the next general municipal election is either November 2019 or November 2020,” Napier said quoting from state code, adding, “or some other date in between,” of the potential of a specially-called election ordered by the court.