Councilmember
Nathaniel Jones to Stay on Council
By Janine Gates
Eight candidates have applied for the appointment to
Olympia City Council, Position #4, which will be vacant January 1 due to the
election of Cheryl Selby as Mayor. The deadline to apply for the position was December 14.
The applications are now posted on the city website
at http://olympiawa.gov/city-government/city-council-and-mayor/council-vacancy.aspx
The candidates are Max Brown, Chase Gallagher, Clark
Gilman, Karen Johnson, Paul Masiello, Allen Miller, Marco Rossi, and Peter
Tassoni.
The person who is appointed will serve for
approximately 23 months, until the November 2017 General Election results are
certified.
Interviews will be held at 5:30 p.m. on January 4,
2016, and January 6, 2016, if needed, in the Olympia City Council Chambers, 601
4th Avenue East. The sessions will be open for public viewing and taped for
replay on Thurston Community Television (TCTV).
After completing the initial interviews, the city council
will decide the next steps in the process, such as whether to select an
individual that evening, develop a short list of applicants for a second round
of interviews or solicit additional applicants.
The city council has up to 90 days to make a
selection. If a selection is not made within 90 days, the decision rests with
the county board of commissioners per RCW 42.12.070.
The council intends, however, to appoint someone in
time to participate as a member at the council’s annual goal setting retreat on
January 8-9, 2016.
Jones
Decides to Stay on Council
In an open letter provided to Little Hollywood on Monday, Olympia city councilmember Nathaniel
Jones announced his intention to stay on the council, and not seek the state
House of Representatives for the 22nd District.
“The enthusiastic support I have received from all
corners of the district has been extraordinary.
I have been moved by the trust placed in me to represent the needs and
the values of our community and our state,” says Jones in his letter.
“…I am not disappointed in my decision to stay with
the City Council; this is not a concession, rather, the Council provides the
best fit for me at this time. I am
excited about serving the City and I am convinced that this is the place where
I can be the most effective.
“It was only a month ago that Olympia voters
reelected me to the City Council. These
next four years present unique challenges for our community. The South Sound
region is making a meaningful comeback from the Great Recession. Olympia and its partners are at the heart of
it all. Rebuilding our economy and our
community requires local leaders and an understanding of how this region works.
“…As we enter 2016 and the presidential campaign
year, there are many local races and issues which need your attention. Public policy issues affecting our community
are at a cross-road; our education system depends on upon unreliable local
districts across the state to meet basic needs, our energy systems are not
evolving fast enough to overcome the negatives of fossil fuel dependence, our
regressive tax structure does not reflect our intent, and both economic
development and social equity lag. Yet
there is good news. We know how to fix
these issues; they can be addressed within our existing systems. All we need is people who are willing to get
involved and get creative. We can affect
the outcome of critical policy issues,” said Jones.
