Council Member Palmer resigned; what happens now?

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Aislinn Palmer (left) and her city council colleague Amy Howard shown at Palmer’s garage giveaway last weekend. Beacon photo by Charlie Bermant  [/caption]

Election news and commentary by Charlie Bermant

The Port Townsend City Council is moving ahead with the process to replace Position 2 Council Person Aislinn Palmer, who is moving to Seattle at the end of May.

City Manager John Mauro presented three proposals to the council on May 20: expedited, balanced, and thorough. The council approved a hybrid, modifying the balanced plan to accommodate individual schedules and to get someone in place two weeks prior to the 90-day state-mandated deadline on August 29.

Mayor David Faber told us that the council is trying to fill the seat “as soon as we can and still be responsible.” Council member Ben Thomas said that he initially preferred a faster process, but now agreed with the schedule, which he called “a balanced process.”

The next action will take place at the council’s June 3 business meeting, when they will discuss application questions and create a final form. The application process begins on June 5 and extends until July 5. Applications will be online at the city website, (cityofpt.us) with paper forms also made available. Aside from the form, applicants are asked to submit a resume and answer supplemental questions, each not to exceed two pages.

The council will meet in executive session on July 15. Following this, public interview sessions will take place from 3 pm to 6 pm on July 27. It is hoped that three to five candidates will make the cut.

The council will select a finalist on August 5 and seat the new member for the first time at the August 12 business meeting, two weeks before the August 29 deadline.

If the city fails to reach a consensus, the decision will fall to the Board of County Commissioners. If the commissioners fail to select, it will be up to the governor to decide.

Palmer officially resigns on May 31 and will not participate in the replacement process.

While many city council votes are unanimous it requires four of the seven members to a motion. The majority is the same on a six-member council, but there is no tiebreaker vote.

Faber hopes that people interested in the seat will have enough notice and information to apply. The process will be conducted in public, aside from the executive session.

Applicant names will be disclosed as soon as they apply for the position, Faber said.

To be eligible, candidates must have resided anywhere within the Port Townsend City Limits for at least one year, be a citizen of the United States, and be 18 years or older.

Serving on the council is characterized as a part-time elected position, with members receiving a $775 monthly stipend (the mayor earns $1,025).

The suggested questions listed in the May 20 agenda packet are open-ended, among questions asking why a candidate wants to serve on the council, how experience and skills mesh with current opportunities, and what they think the biggest challenge is. The tone of these questions will be familiar to anyone who has participated in an interview of any kind and are designed to get a candidate to talk about themselves. Presumably, any concerns will emerge during these discussions.

Potential council members should have strategic knowledge, be community-minded, collaborative, self-aware, possess the ability to communicate, and be effective negotiators.

There is no cost estimate for the process, which will require staff time, materials, and training sessions, according to City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues.

Faber said that four people had already approached him with interest in the position, predicting that many more will emerge once the process begins. Current council members contacted for this article would not disclose the names of those interested, not wishing to out candidates before they are ready.

Palmer was first elected in 2021, with the term expiring in 2025.  The replacement can then run for a full term if they choose to do so.

There is another potential opening on the city council. Ben Thomas, who was elected along with Palmer in 2021, filed to run for the Jefferson County District 1 Commissioner seat.  The process to replace Thomas will begin after Election Day, but only if he is elected as a commissioner. If this occurs, the city will have two unelected council members for much of 2025.