EDMONDS — Some familiar names and many lesser known ones have turned up on the list of applicants for the Edmonds City Council vacancy created by the departure of Deanna Dawson.
Former council members Lora Petso and Roger Hertrich are among the 20 people who have applied for the vacancy. Also on the list are former council candidates Strom Peterson and Alvin Rutledge.
Dawson stepped down last month after seven years in office. She is moving to Washington, D.C., to be the director of the federal courts program for Justice at Stake, a nonprofit group that works to promote fairness and impartiality in the courts.
Whoever takes Dawson’s place will serve out the remainder of her term, which runs through the end of this year. The seat is up for election in the fall. Council members plan to interview the candidates next week and vote Jan. 20 to appoint a replacement.
Regular council members are paid $600 per month with an additional $50 per meeting with a maximum of $1,000 per month. They also receive some health benefits for themselves and their immediate families.
Councilman Michael Plunkett floated the idea Tuesday of re-advertising the vacancy as a “caretaker” position, meaning that the appointee would agree not to run for election in November.
“Some people think it’s better that all those who want to serve should run for it and have the voters make the choice rather than the council make the choice,” Plunkett said.
There was little interest in the idea among other council members, he said.
D.J. Wilson, beginning his second year on the council, was chosen by his fellow council members on Tuesday to serve as council president for 2009.
“I think whoever is on the council should want to run in the fall and they should want to do this job above other things,” he said. “If you’re not willing to run in the fall, then you really don’t want the job very much.”
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
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