Title
Approval of Applicants to Interview for the Upcoming Open City Council Seat
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
A subcommittee of the City Council, consisting of Mayor Cheryl Selby, Councilmember Jim Cooper and Councilmember Dani Madrone, recommends moving to approve interviewing the following applicants for the upcoming open City Council seat; Kento Azegami, Holly Davies, Tracey Carlos, Yen Huynh, Robbi Kesler, Dontae Payne and Maria Siguenza.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve interviewing the following applicants for the upcoming City Council seat vacancy; Kento Azegami, Holly Davies, Tracey Carlos, Yen Huynh, Robbi Kesler, Dontae Payne and Maria Siguenza.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the following applicants for interviews for the upcoming City Council seat vacancy; Kento Azegami, Holly Davies, Tracey Carlos, Yen Huynh, Robbi Kesler, Dontae Payne and Maria Siguenza.
Staff Contact:
Kellie Purce Braseth, Strategic Communications Director, 360.753.8361
Susan Grisham, Executive Assistant, 360.753.8244
Presenter(s):
Kellie Purce Braseth, Strategic Communications Director
Background and Analysis:
The Olympia City Council accepted applications for the upcoming vacancy of Councilmember Position 2. The position will become open on December 31, 2020, when Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Bateman’s resignation becomes effective as she steps down to begin service in the State Legislature. The period to submit an application closed on December 11, 2020.
Along with their applications, the applicants were required to submit a cover letter, proof of voter registration, a City limits map with residence clearly marked and a resume. Due to the overwhelming number of applications received; on December 15, 2020, the City Council agreed to each independently evaluate the applications and put forward the applicants they each are interested in interviewing.
At the December 15 meeting, the Council appointed a subcommittee consisting of Mayor Selby, Councilmember Cooper and Councilmember Madrone to narrow down the applicants that each Councilmember would like to interview.
On December 18, the subcommittee met to review the applicants each Councilmember put forward with an interest of interviewing. At that meeting, the subcommittee agreed to forward a recommendation for the seven applicants that received the most interview interest. Those applicants are Kento Azegami, Holly Davies, Tracey Carlos, Yen Huynh, Robbi Kesler, Dontae Payne and Maria Siguenza.
Councilmembers will also touch upon next steps, which are as follows:
At the December 18 meeting, the subcommittee asked Strategic Communications Director Purce Braseth to collect from each Councilmember their ideas for interview questions. Each Councilmember is to email her their question ideas by December 28. She will compile these and return them to Council by December 30.
Councilmembers have tentatively reserved Tuesday, January 5, 2021, and Wednesday January 6, 2021, for applicant interviews. At the January 5 meeting, before the actual interviews begin, Councilmembers will review the proposed questions together and settle on which will be asked and by who. The appointee is expected to participate in the City Council’s annual goal-setting retreat on January 8-9, 2021.
The appointee will serve from time of their appointment until the November 2021 General Election results are certified. To serve out the remainder of the Position 2 term, which ends December 31, 2023, the appointee will have to be elected to the position in the November 2021 General Election.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
N/A
Options:
1. Approve the list of applicants to move forward for interviews.
2. Amend and approve the list of applicants to move forward for interviews.
Financial Impact:
N/A
Attachments:
Applicant Interview Choices by Councilmember
Applications Recommended to Move Forward
Applications not Recommended to Move Forward