Open Council Seat Until Fall

After interviewing three prospective candidates for the vacant council seat on Tuesday evening (February 11th), the council couldn’t select one individual to fill the seat made vacant by past Mayor Pro tem Bernardo Sandoval. The three candidates that were interviewed for the vacant seat included Doug Wilson, Ryan Stephens, and Richard Sanchez. Each of them answered questions over a 20 minute period provided by the council that asked them about specific ongoing issues that the City was involved in. Several citizens got up and supported their preferred choice for the seat, but in the end no decision could be made between the remaining council members and the mayor on who would best fill the position. There seemed to be an ongoing under current of animosity still being held by different factions of people within the city about Measure C, the utility tax ordinance that was voted down in November that swayed the final decision on who was going to be selected. Councilwoman Darcy McNaboe made the first motion, after the interviews, to choose Doug Wilson and it was seconded by Sylvia Robles but it failed to receive any other votes. Mayor Stanckiewitz then moved to appoint Ryan Stephens, but the motion died because there was no second. No other motions were made, and Stanckiewitz declared the end of the selection process and decided that the council will proceed with the present council members until the fall election in November. McNaboe thanked the three candidates that had taken their time to apply for the open position and re-affirmed meeting attendees that the current members on council will be able to conduct business in a professional manner until the November election.