Clear Lake City Council considers appointments versus elections for council and treasurer seats
August 22, 2022 | Clearlake, Lake County, California
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The Clearlake Special City Council Meeting held on August 22, 2022, focused on the appointment of city council members and the city treasurer in light of upcoming elections. The council was presented with options regarding the two expiring city council seats and one city treasurer position, with the deadline for filing nomination papers having passed on August 12, 2022.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson outlined that two candidates, incumbents Dirk Sloten and Russ Kremer, had submitted complete nomination papers for the city council seats. Given that the number of candidates matched the number of available positions, the council had the option to appoint these candidates instead of holding an election. However, the government code stipulates that if the council appoints these incumbents, they would lose the ability to fill any future vacancies through appointment, necessitating a special election instead.
Additionally, there were no nominations for the city treasurer position. The council could either appoint a qualified elector to this role or proceed with an election, allowing for nominations during the write-in period from September 12 to October 25. Historically, since February 2006, the city manager has filled the treasurer vacancy due to the lack of an elected treasurer.
The council's primary options included holding elections for all three positions, appointing the two council candidates and holding an election for treasurer, or appointing both council candidates and a qualified elector for treasurer. The council was reminded that any appointments must be made by August 25, 2022, to avoid triggering an election.
During discussions, council members raised concerns about the potential costs associated with holding an election, which would involve fees paid to the County of Lake for election processing. They acknowledged that not proceeding with an election could result in savings for the city. However, the implications of losing the flexibility to appoint future council members if they chose to appoint the incumbents were also highlighted.
The meeting concluded with a call for public comments and further discussion among council members, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of the options available before the impending deadline.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson outlined that two candidates, incumbents Dirk Sloten and Russ Kremer, had submitted complete nomination papers for the city council seats. Given that the number of candidates matched the number of available positions, the council had the option to appoint these candidates instead of holding an election. However, the government code stipulates that if the council appoints these incumbents, they would lose the ability to fill any future vacancies through appointment, necessitating a special election instead.
Additionally, there were no nominations for the city treasurer position. The council could either appoint a qualified elector to this role or proceed with an election, allowing for nominations during the write-in period from September 12 to October 25. Historically, since February 2006, the city manager has filled the treasurer vacancy due to the lack of an elected treasurer.
The council's primary options included holding elections for all three positions, appointing the two council candidates and holding an election for treasurer, or appointing both council candidates and a qualified elector for treasurer. The council was reminded that any appointments must be made by August 25, 2022, to avoid triggering an election.
During discussions, council members raised concerns about the potential costs associated with holding an election, which would involve fees paid to the County of Lake for election processing. They acknowledged that not proceeding with an election could result in savings for the city. However, the implications of losing the flexibility to appoint future council members if they chose to appoint the incumbents were also highlighted.
The meeting concluded with a call for public comments and further discussion among council members, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of the options available before the impending deadline.
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