It wasn’t the most orthodox way of picking a new member of the Marquette City Commission, but we believe the result is good for the city.

The meeting was unorthodox anyway, being the second one held virtually through Zoom because of the social distancing urged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The open seventh seat for the commission on Monday came down to a coin toss after a 79-round 3-3 deadlock. The winner of that coin toss was Sally Davis Campana.

Twelve candidates addressed the commission to fill the seat, left vacant after Andrew Lorinser resigned March 16. Davis Campana and Tony Retaskie were the two candidates involved in the ongoing 3-3 stalemate.

The commission discussed the idea of a potential coin toss to settle the tie. Davis Campana and Retaskie agreed to it, but the motion was defeated.

After a short recess, the commission again heard from the two candidates, who both issued a statement on why they would be the best candidate for the commission. 

Davis Campana expressed concern about the city’s recovery after COVID-19 crisis, and said she has the skills to help move it forward.

Retaskie stressed his volunteerism in the community and his passion for helping young people get involved in the trades.

Following one more round of voting, the commission finally decided to settle the vote in a coin toss — and it turned out claiming heads was a good deal for Davis Campana.

It might not have been the best way to choose a new commissioner, but it’s not like the city could have called a hung jury and started over with a new set of voting commissioners.

We believe both candidates would have been a good selection. However, Davis Campana already had been in the running for a commission seat, having lost to Lorinser in November’s election by a mere 20 votes.

Davis Campana also has a history of serving on different city boards.

“I want to use my skills and experiences to keep Marquette moving forward, not just for one group but for all generations,” Davis Campana said in her opening statement on Monday.

She also said the city faces many issues: the environment and the preservation of water resources, road and infrastructure, reasonably priced housing and job opportunities.

Most, if not all towns and cities face these same issues, but Davis Campana has a good knowledge of Marquette, which should serve her well as a commissioner.

Of course, as Davis Campana put it, the community is in the “big pause,” as are other communities in the United States, and it’s uncertain what life will be like when people are allowed to socialize as they had been and businesses reopen.

“This is going to require a new look at our strategic plan and some revisions of our budget, “Davis Campana said. “I believe strongly in and I have experience in strategic planning and building the coalitions that will be necessary.” 

We hope the “big pause” ends sooner than later, and that Davis Campana, along with the rest of the Marquette City Commission, can help restore normalcy in Marquette.