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Cmd92022 spec mtg Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes September 20, 2022 Page 1 EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES APPROVED MINUTES September 20, 2022 ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Mike Nelson, Mayor Vivian Olson, Council President Will Chen, Councilmember Neil Tibbott, Councilmember Diane Buckshnis, Councilmember Susan Paine, Councilmember Dave Teitzel, Councilmember STAFF PRESENT Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL The special Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 6:15 p.m. by Mayor Nelson in the Council Chambers, 250 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, and virtually. 2. EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION PER RCW 42.30.110(1)(I) At 6:15 p.m., the council convened in executive session for approximately 15 minutes to discuss pending or potential litigation per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). The executive session concluded at 6:30 p.m. 3. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION The council reconvened in open session at 6:31 p.m. 4. COUNCIL BUSINESS 1. ESTABLISH PROCESS FOR FILLING COUNCIL VACANCY – POSITION #7 Council President Olson recalled the council was notified of a council vacancy effective September 13, 2022. The process used previously is outlined in the council packet with some modifications to reflect the desire to move forward quickly. There is value to the process described in the agenda packet as everything is still fresh in councilmembers’ minds and it is not unusual with personnel hiring to have a few months between interviews and the next steps in the process. There was a great pool of candidates for the first vacancy which provides an opportunity for those who are interested to reapply for this vacancy as well as opening it to members of the public who did not apply for the vacancy in position #1. Council President Olson continued, the proposal is to ask applicants the same questions to keep things balanced and fair. Although the agenda memo reflects the desire to move quickly, the council has a window of 90 days to fill a vacancy due to the need at times to prioritize other business. The council has a Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes September 20, 2022 Page 2 lot on its agenda in the short term because it is budget season. Alternatively the council can consider filling the vacancy after the budget is adopted. The proposal is to move quickly and appoint a councilmember who can participate in the budget process. Council President Olson recommended deleting the request for date of birth that was added to the application for position #7. The intent was to assist with checking whether applicants were registered voters, but for other reasons, the inclusion of that information was determined not to be a good idea. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS, TO DELETE THE DATE OF BIRTH ADDED TO THE POSITION #7 APPLICATION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Councilmember Paine asked Council President Olson to comment on background conversations that have occurred and emails that were sent. She heard from people in the community that an email was sent to the prior candidates before this meeting. Council President Olson responded the email was very brief and did not commit to any process. It said there would be another process and if the person was interested in being considered, they would receive an extra communication from the City once the process was determined. As someone who recently went through this process, Councilmember Teitzel commented the interviews with the 17 applicants to fill position #1 were conducted less than one month ago and are still very fresh in everyone’s minds. Out of respect for the process and for the applicants, he suggested reusing the existing applications and interviews and simply interviewing new candidates who apply. That would allow the council to move expeditiously and fairly and get a new councilmember seated so they can participate in the budget process in a meaningful way. If the council waits 90 days, that will be near the end of the year and would preclude the new councilmember’s participation in the budget which he did not think would be good. Councilmember Buckshnis said she also did not want to wait to appoint a new councilmember. She spent her vacation reviewing the council candidate applications. She suggested requesting a new, timestamped letter from the applicants who applied previously for position #1 as she was aware some did not plan to reapply. She recognized the interviews were conducted less than 30 days ago and although she would like to ask different questions, she supported moving forward pragmatically as the interviews were fresh in councilmembers’ minds. This is the process the City uses when candidates for positions in the City backs out; another candidate selection pool is provided. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, THAT THE TIMESTAMP CAN BE PROVIDED BE VIA EMAIL THAT SOMEONE WANTS TO REAPPLY FOR THE POSITION #7 PROCESS. Council President Olson commented that would be an efficient method for those who have gone through the effort of completing an application and she did not want to require them go through hoops that were just busywork. The email stating they wanted to be considered for the position #7 vacancy could be printed out. Councilmember Paine asked whether the intent was applicants would reuse their original submission or could they freshen up their application if they wished. She suggested informing applicants to resubmit their application which would give them the choice of freshening up their application if they wished. Council President Olson offered to expand the motion to include the option to submit their application if they wished. As it has only been a month, she did not anticipate much would have changed and most people likely would say use their original application. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes September 20, 2022 Page 3 COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, THAT THE TIMESTAMP COULD BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL AND THE APPLICANT COULD DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANTED THEIR ORIGINAL APPLICATION TO COUNT OR IF THEY WANTED TO SUBMIT SOMETHING NEW. AMENDMENT CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Councilmember Chen suggested also allowing drop off at the council office in case some applicants wanted to do that. Mayor Nelson relayed Council President Olson’s comment that that was already included. COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO APPROVE THE PROCESS IN THE PACKET AS AMENDED BY THE PREVIOUS MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS. Councilmember Paine asked if the motion was to accept the dates that are included in the agenda memo. The council did not talk about dates but having dates identified would be very helpful. Council President Olson said the packet included windows of time; if the council was willing to accept those windows, motions could be made after this motion to select dates that work for everyone. Councilmember Buckshnis was unsure motions needed to be made to approve dates for interviews. She preferred to have the motion restated in its entirety instead of referencing the agenda memo so citizens who do not have the agenda memo know what the council is voting on. Council President Olson commented there is quite a bit of detail regarding the process in the agenda memo and the motion was to accept the process as stated. She asked if Councilmember Buckshnis wanted her to read the process. Councilmember Buckshnis answered she did. Council President Olson explained the process would be to allow people who had previously applied for the position #1 vacancy to reapply by email saying that they wanted to be considered for position #7. Alternatively, they would have the option of submitting a new application. Interviews from the first round would stand and applicants would not have the option of reinterviewing. The interview process would be made available as well as new applications taken from candidates for position #7 who had not expressed an interest in position #1. The same interview questions used in the last process would be asked of the new candidates. The interviews of candidates who applied for position #1 are available to the public and councilmembers including Councilmember Teitzel who was not initially involved in the interviews. In addition, councilmembers can reach out to any of the candidates. The selection process will occur during the week of October 17-21. When a candidate receives four council votes, a new councilmember is selected and will serve until the end of that term and a new councilmember elected in November 2023. She suggested the council discuss and choose dates after passing this motion. COUNCILMEMBER PAINE MOVED TO AMEND TO HAVE THE INTERVIEW DATES FROM OCTOBER 17-19. MOTION FAILED FOR LACK OF A SECOND. Councilmember Paine said she is planning to take her mom to a family wedding in Michigan and she had hoped to participate in the interview process. Council President Olson asked if councilmembers and staff were available on Monday, October 17th. COUNCILMEMBER PAINE MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON, TO AMEND TO HAVE INTERVIEWS ON OCTOBER 17TH. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes September 20, 2022 Page 4 Councilmember Teitzel pointed out the agenda memo states the selection for appointment to position #7 will take place during a special meeting between October 17-21, not the interviews. He asked if that was what Councilmember Paine meant to say in her motion. Councilmember Paine restated her motion: FOR THE SELECTION TO OCCUR ON OCTOBER 17TH. AMENDMENT CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Council President Olson asked if the council wanted to discuss dates for interviews, noting there was a window identified in the agenda memo. Alternatively, the council could decide on dates once the applications for position #7 are submitted. [No vote was taken on the main motion as amended.] 5. ADJOURN With no further business, the Council meeting was adjourned at 6:48 p.m.