Tempe City Council begins process to fill ousted councilman’s seat
Apr 16, 2019, 3:00 PM | Updated: 3:02 pm
(City of Tempe Government/Facebook)
(City of Tempe Government/Facebook)
PHOENIX — The Tempe City Council on Monday moved forward with the application process to replace former Councilman Kolby Granville, who was removed from office last week over allegations of sexual assault and providing alcohol to minors.
The council plans to appoint Granville’s replacement during its May 9 regular meeting. Applications for the position are due to the Tempe City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on April 22.
Under city ordinance, the council has the option of appointing a replacement for Granville within 30 days or calling for a special election within 90 days.
Applicants must be qualified electors in Tempe, at least 18 years old and have lived in Tempe for at least the last two years.
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The council will have an executive discussion on April 25 to discuss applicants and will hold interviews — where public comment will be taken — on May 2. Only up to three candidates will advance to the interviews.
The new appointee will be sworn in after being approved May 9.
The council voted unanimously to oust Granville from his position Friday in a special meeting, more than a year after the city first investigated the claims.
News: Applications to fill vacancy on Tempe City Council will open on April 16: https://t.co/ny42dQ7z5D.
— City of Tempe, AZ (@Tempegov) April 16, 2019
Granville, who was first elected to the council in 2012, was accused of giving alcohol to two former female students at Tempe Preparatory Academy, where he worked as a teacher. One also accused him of sexual assaulting her after she graduated from the charter school.
Granville was fired from his teaching job in December 2017, one month before the allegations were made public. The school only said the dismissal didn’t involve current students.
The Phoenix Police Department closed the case against Granville in January 2018 because no victims wanted to press charges, according to documents.
Attorney Sarah Barnes, who was hired by the city to investigate Granville for council code of conduct violations, said he told her never gave alcohol to minors.
But Barnes also said Granville “never unequivocally denied” other allegations she questioned him about.
Granville, who is a licensed attorney, is also under investigation by the State Bar of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Education, Barnes said.
