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Vancouver, WA Policy and Procedure 100-38 Council Vacancies

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City of Vancouver, WA
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
Filing City Council Vacancies
Effective Date 1/3/00

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to City Council when a Vancouver Councilmember position becomes vacant before the expiration of the official's elected term of office. Pursuant to state law, a vacancy shall be filled only to serve the remainder of the unexpired term until the next regular municipal election.

2.0 Organizations Affected

City Council/City Manager

3.0 References

RCW 42.30.110(h) - Executive Session Allowed to Consider qualifications of a Candidate for Appointment to Elective Office.

RCW 42.30.060 - Prohibition on Secret Ballots.

RCW 42.12 - Vacant Position

RCW 35A. 13.020 - Vacancies - Filling of Vacancies in Council/Manager Form of Government.

Vancouver City Charter - Section 2.08

City Council Resolution M-_______

4.0 Appointment Process

A Council position shall be officially declared vacant upon the occurrence of any of the causes of vacancy set forth in City of Vancouver Charter, Section 2.06, including resignation, recall, forfeiture, written intent to resign, or death of a Councilmember. The Councilmember who is vacating his or her position cannot participate in the appointment process.

City Council shall direct staff to begin the Councilmember appointment process and establish an interview and appointment schedule so that the position is filled at the earliest opportunity.

The City Clerk's Office shall prepare and submit a display advertisement to The Columbian with courtesy copies to all other local media outlets, which announces the vacancy consistent with the requirements necessary to hold public office: that the applicant be a registered voter of the City of Vancouver, have a two-year continuous period of residency in the City of Vancouver, and hold no other public office or employment under the city government. This display advertisement shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks. This display advertisement shall contain other information, including, but not limited to, time to be served in the vacant position, election information, salary information, Councilmember powers and duties, the deadline date and time for submitting applications, interview and appointment schedules, and such other information that the City Council deems appropriate.

The City Clerk's Office shall prepare an application form which requests appropriate information for City Council consideration of the applicants. The application form will include, among other requests for information, the question, "Is there anything in your background that would bring discredit to this city if appointed?" The applicants will also be requested to provide a completed Washington State PDC form F-1. Applications will be available at City of Vancouver offices and such other locations that the City Council deems appropriate. Copies of the display advertisement will be provided to current members of City of Vancouver commissions, committees, task forces and other City-sponsored citizen groups.

Applications received by the deadline date and time will be copied and circulated by the City Clerk's Office to the Mayor and City Council. Packets may also contain additional information received such as endorsements, letters of reference and other pertinent materials.

The City Clerk's Office shall notify applicants of the location, date and time of City Council interviews.

Prior to the date and time of the interview meeting, the Mayor shall accept one interview question from each Councilmember.

Prior to the interview meeting, the City Manager will provide Council with the results of a Criminal Check for each applicant.

5.0 Interview Meeting

Each interview of an applicant/candidate shall be no more than 30 minutes in length as follows:

  • The applicant shall present his or her credentials to the City Council (10 minutes).

  • The City Council shall ask the predetermined set of questions, which must be responded to by the applicant. Each applicant will be asked and will answer the same set of questions and will have two (2) minutes to answer each question (14 minutes)

  • An informal question and answer period in which Councilmembers may ask and receive answers to miscellaneous questions (10 minutes).

The applicant's order of appearance will be determined by a random lot drawing performed by the City Clerk.

The Council may reduce the 30-minute interview time if the number of applicants exceed six candidates, or alternatively, the Council may elect not to interview all of the applicants if the number exceeds six candidates. The decision as to which applicants to interview will be based on the information contained in the application forms.

Vacancies in the City Council shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the City Council, but such appointee shall hold office only until the next regular general election, at which time a person shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

6.0 Voting

Upon completion of the interviews, Councilmembers may convene into Executive Session to discuss the qualifications of the applicants; however, all interviews, nominations and votes taken by the Council shall be in open public session.

The new Councilmember shall be chosen according to Roberts Rules of Order.

Balloting will continue until a nominee receives a majority of four votes.

At anytime during the balloting process, the City Council may postpone balloting until a date certain or regular meeting if a majority vote has not been received.

Noting in this policy shall prevent the City Council from reconvening into Executive Session to further discuss the applicant/candidate qualifications.

The Mayor shall declare the nominee receiving the majority vote as the new Councilmember and shall be sworn into office by the City Clerk at the earliest opportunity, or no later than the next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting.