City Administrator Shannon Stassen informed the City Council during Monday’s nights Special Ways & Means Meeting that he had received the resignation of City Councilwoman Cindy Gjerswold (Ward 6) effective Monday. Gjerswold was elected in November 2018, when she ran unopposed.
Stassen said Gjerswold is moving outside the city limits and thanked her for her service. “I received a letter from Councilwomen Gjerswold, and she’ll be stepping down,” said Stassen. “She is changing her address and moving outside of city limits. We thank her for her time and service. I enjoyed working with her, and that will move us on to the process of declaring a vacancy. Looking to place somebody in that unexpired term so they’ll serve the remainder of her term. That’s what the charter calls for.”
The City Council will need to declare the position vacant at their August 26 meeting and determine the process for making an appointment to fill the Ward 6 seat. “It’s really up to the council,” said Stassen. “The first thing we have to do is declare the vacancy, and that will happen this coming Monday, a week from now. From there it is really up to the council. The charter is very brief in specifics. It says the council appoints to fill those unexpired terms. What that means in terms of process is really up to the council. They can appoint somebody. They can go through a search. It’s their duty and right to appoint and set that process how they see fit.”
Stassen said there are several ways the council could choose to appoint the seat, but that process would be expected to take about one month. “Once the vacancy is declared we’d likely open up for a couple of weeks for people from Ward 6 to serve on the committee that appoints,” said Stassen. “And then also open up for two weeks for people interested in completing that unexpired term, most likely. But again that’s council’s discretion. Then likely interviews and a selection process from there, maybe a month.”
The council position is on a four-year term, with the next election for Ward 6 scheduled for 2022.
Tags:
