At Monday’s regular meeting, City staff briefed Council members on the City Charter’s requirements for filling vacancies on the Council and presented recommendations to help clarify the appointment process.
Under the City Charter, a single vacancy occurring during an unexpired term for a Council member, other than the Mayor, is filled by appointment through a majority vote of the remaining Council members. While the Charter outlines the position is filled by appointment, it does not specify the process for selecting qualified candidates. If two or more Council seats become vacant, the Charter requires the positions to be filled through a special election.
Staff presented a proposed nine-step procedure to guide the appointment process for a single vacancy. The recommended framework, modeled after the City’s existing Boards and Commissions appointment process, would span approximately 12 weeks and include steps from developing and reviewing an application to interviewing candidates and administering the oath of office.
Council members provided feedback on the proposed steps and indicated they will continue refining the process during future Council discussions.
Monday’s presentation: Video
