Applications are open for anyone interested in serving on the Umatilla City Council.
At its most recent meeting, the council declared a vacancy in position 6, following the resignation of Councilman Steve Johnson. Now, the council is looking to appoint someone to serve a 1 ½ year stint, until a new council member is elected in 2014.
Applicants can apply now until the end of the month at Umatilla City Hall. Prospective council members must be registered voters and live in the city of Umatilla.
City council members will interview prospective appointees on Sept. 3, before the next scheduled council meeting.
According to Umatilla City Manager Bob Ward, the council will ask each candidate a series of pre-arranged questions before the meeting. During the meeting, a council member will nominate a candidate and the council will then vote the motion up or down.
Once appointed, the new council member will have the option to take the seat Sept. 3 or Oct. 1.
The appointed individual will fill the council vacancy until the next general election in November 2014, according to Ward.
The appointed council member will have the option to file as a candidate for the seat in the November 2014 election. If the appointed member does not run or is not elected that November, he or she will step down in January 2015, when the elected member is sworn in. The candidate elected in November 2014 will take the oath of office in January 2015 and serve the remaining two-year portion of Johnson’s term.
The council did have the option to leave the position open until that election, but council members agreed it would not serve the city to have a seat open for 16 months.
“I think that’s just too long,” Councilwoman Mary Dedrick said. “We need someone aboard before then.”
