Battle brewing over who will be president of Springfield City Council
SPRINGFIELD — Tracye Whitfield, City Council vice president, announced she has secured enough votes to take over as the top leader of the board, one day after election upsets changed the face of the council.
But 16-year Councilor Melvin Edwards, who served as vice president from 2022 through 2024, said he has also been talking to his colleagues and believes he has secured enough promised votes to be the next leader when the council votes on it in January.
Springfield City Councilor Melvin Edwards speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gemini Townhomes project on lower Central Street in Springfield's South End neighborhood. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 10/25/2023The Republican
The brewing battle comes less than 24 hours after long-time councilors Timothy Allen and Sean Curran fell short in their bids for reelection. Allen was bested by newcomer Gerry Martin in Ward 7 while former City Councilor Justin Hurst unseated Curran.
After serving as vice for a year with current president Michael Fenton, Whitfield said she feels ready to lead and added the best way to learn the intricacies of the rules, regulations and procedures of the council is by serving as its president.
"I think it will be a positive look for the council," she said.
Whitfield said she has secured votes from both newcomers, Hurst and Martin, as well as Kateri Walsh, Zaida Govan, Lavar Click-Bruce and Malo Brown. Her own vote will give her the seven votes she needs to capture a majority on the 13-member council.
"I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust my colleagues have placed in me," Whitfield said. "This moment isn't just about me — it's about representation, leadership, and ensuring every voice in Springfield is heard. I'm ready to lead with integrity, unity, and purpose."
But Edwards said he has also been securing commitments and one of the councilors — he did not say which — on Whitfield's list has also pledged support to his effort to become the council leader.
"I don't need the seat but it's important to me who the president is," he said. "We will see how the votes fall."
Edwards said the council must represent all residents of the city no matter which wards they live in, their race or socio-economic backgrounds. The president has to make sure that happens equally.
"The president is an important position because of the committee assignments," he said.
Typically, Edwards is one of the more low-key councilors, while Whitfield admits she is one of the more vocal members who tends to speak frequently and on more issues.
"This gives me an opportunity to be disciplined and to really, really listen," Whitfield said, adding that it will force her to consider all sides before forming an opinion.
If elected, Whitfield said she will implement training sessions, especially for new City Council members, so they understand the basics of hearings, rules and procedures, how to file petitions and far more. When she was elected, she said she had to rely on fellow members to help her.
Govan, who represents Ward 8, plans to support Whitfield. The two tried to capture the president and vice president positions in 2023 but were not successful with the majority instead electing Fenton and Edwards.
"Women being at the forefront will be good for the passion we bring. I think it is something that will be a positive look for the council," Govan said.
It has been some time since the City Council president was a woman, said Walsh, who has held the position several times but not for at least a decade.
She confirmed she did promise her vote to Whitfield.
Also interested in running for vice president is Jose Delgado, who is entering his second term on the council and was the highest vote-getter among the seven at-large City Council candidates in Tuesday's election. Walsh said she committed her vote to him.
"I want a woman as council president," she said. "I think women leaders are good at getting people to work together and building consensus."
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