PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles City Council will conduct one-on-one interviews with prospective council candidates Tuesday.
Applications were due Wednesday for the seat vacated by the recent death of Jim Moran.
The council will gather at 4 p.m. Tuesday to discuss questions to ask the candidates.
One-on-one interviews will commence at 4:30 p.m. or shortly thereafter.
“I am of the strong opinion at this point that I would like this to be a whole council process all the way through and not a subcommittee process,” Deputy Mayor Kate Dexter said at a meeting earlier this month.
“That is important to me in how we move forward with this. I feel flexible about some of the other pieces, but I would like it to be a whole council conversation all the way through.”
Interest expressed
Council member Michael Merideth recused himself from the discussion because he had announced that he would apply to serve the remainder of Moran’s term. Merideth did not run for re-election this year.
Moran, a community volunteer and U.S. Army veteran, died in his sleep either late Nov. 15 or early 16 with two years left on his four-year term.
He was 71.
Merideth has said he planned to move outside of the city limits within the next four years but would remain in the city long enough to serve the remaining two years on Moran’s term.
Three people — Matthew Rainwater, LaTrisha Suggs and Merideth — have applied for the vacant City Council seat, City Clerk Kari Martinez-Bailey said Wednesday.
Finishing the term
The person who is appointed to serve the remainder of Moran’s term will join three new council members who will take office in early January.
Navarra Carr, Charlie McCaughan and Brendan Meyer were elected to the City Council on Nov. 5.
They will join third-year council members Mike French, Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin and Dexter.
The person appointed to the council will serve until the 2021 general election results are certified by the Clallam County Auditor.
The council meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Extra meetings or work sessions may be called.
“Council members do not represent any particular district or area of the city and can expect to spend at least 20 to 25 hours per month on council related work,” according to the city announcement.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
