The Sedona City Council had its first meeting without now-former-Mayor Scott Jablow on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and one of the first orders of business was to unanimously appoint Vice Mayor and Acting Mayor Holli Ploog as the interim mayor to serve out the remainder of Jablow’s term.

Councilman Brian Fultz, who nominated Ploog, was unani­mously voted as the new vice mayor.

Ploog will not be running for mayor in 2026, subsequently writing to the NEWS that her “only focus will be [on] healing the city.”

“This is not an easy time for our city or for our council,” Ploog said ahead of being voted in by her fellow council members. “Public trust has been broken, and the community deserves leadership that is steady, transparent and focused on restoring accountability. In times of crisis, leadership must be clear, calm and accountable. Our residents deserve stability, and our city needs to restore trust as quickly as possible. That’s why I am respectfully asking for your support.”

Jablow resigned the morning of Sept. 30, effective at the end of the day, following a Sept. 10 censure and call for his resignation by five council members for seven viola­tions of public office.

The violations centered on Jablow overstepping his authority under Sedona’s council-manager form of government and creating a hostile work environment, particularly for the Sedona Police Department.

All the members of the council universally welcomed the news of Jablow’s resignation, including Councilman Derek Pfaff, who was a dissenting vote along with Jablow in the 5-2 censure.

“If I’m given this responsi­bility, I will work closely with my colleagues to implement safeguards, strengthen oversight, increase public access to informa­tion, improve communications and ensure we never repeat the mistakes that led us here to this place. It will not be business as usual,” Ploog said. “So let us turn this moment of crisis into a tipping point, showing our residents that when leadership fails, accountability rises, that when trust is broken, we earn it back.

“To the public, healing is not something that happens strictly on this dais. We need you, our residents, business and community leaders, to take part in shaping what comes next with a renewed purpose and partnership. So I am ready. I know you’re all ready. … So let’s get to work.”

Vice Mayor Brian Fultz

“I would like to make a motion,” Councilwoman Kathy Kinsella said, addressing Ploog. “Everyone has great confidence in you and your leadership, but everybody needs a right hand, and we need some­body … who has really stepped up and exhibited true leadership on this dais, somebody who’s worked with so many different facets of the community.

“As this ship gets righted, I would like to move that we appoint Brian Fultz as our vice mayor.”

The promotions of Ploog and Fultz created a vacancy on council that residents are encouraged to apply for to fill. To be eligible, applicants must have lived in Sedona city limits for at least one year, be at least 18 years old, speak and write in English and be a registered voter. The appointment runs until November 2026. The appointee may run for elec­tion in August to serve a full four-year term.

“Applications are avail­able online at sedonaaz. gov/citycouncil,” according to the city. Applicants can obtain an packet in person during regular office hours 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. Completed appli­cations can be emailed to City Clerk JoAnne Cook at jcook@sedonaaz. gov or mailed to JoAnne Cook, city of Sedona, 102 Roadrunner Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336-3710.

Council will deter­mine which applicants will be interviewed, tentatively planned for the meeting Tuesday, Oct. 28. Applicants require a minimum of four votes from council members to advance to the interview before council.

Both the selection of applicants and the inter­views will be conducted in an open session. However, the council may move into executive session to discuss the candidates, with a vote of the majority of council members required to approve the appointee.

Fultz has announced that he will be running for mayor in 2026, Councilman Pete Furman is not seeking re-election and Councilwoman Melissa Dunn confirmed to the NEWS that she is seeking another term.

Jablow investigation

Council also voted to make the investigation into the harassment complaints from Jablow and the Sedona Police Chief Stephanie Foley public on Wednesday, Oct. 15, and to authorize a statement be released “about the find­ings in an investigation [of Jablow] that was done based on a social media post on Sept. 19,” City Attorney Kurt Christiannson said.

There was “insufficient evidence to substantiate the claim that former Mayor Jablow engaged in sexual harassment,” against a Sedona resident City Manager Anette Spickard wrote on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 15.

“While the complainant described conduct that, if corroborated, could constitute inappropriate behavior, the complainant stated multiple times that Jablow did nothing illegal,” Spickard wrote. “The complainant and Jablow’s relationship was a personal one and other than meeting at a regional Chamber of Commerce event and occasionally attending other chamber or Lodging Council events, there is no evidence or allegation that Jablow used his position to gain personal favor from the complainant.”

The city also investigated claims of Jablow misusing city funds for personal expenses and turned up “no evidence” to substantiate those online claims from the unnamed complainant stemming from the Sept. 19 social media post.

“Financial record review supports that all identified expenditures were for legitimate city purposes,” Spickard wrote. “Per the complainant and former Mayor Jablow, their last contact was around September 2022. Jablow did not have a city-issued credit card until December 2022. Jablow did not have a city-issued cell phone until October 2024.”