ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission have established the timeline that will be used to fill two vacant city commission seats.
In late September, Commissioner Deanie Sebring vacated the remaining 14 months of her two-year commission term. The commission seat held by Commissioner Robert Kingan will be vacant in December after his current two-year term expires. Kingan chose not to seek reelection and no other candidate chose to run in this year’s race, which also sees commissioners Jon Crane and Charlie Salem running unopposed for additional two-year terms in office.
The person appointed to fill Sebring’s vacant seat will serve the remainder of a term that expires in December 2024. The person appointed to fill Kingan’s vacant seat will serve a term that expires in December 2025.
The commission generally meets two Thursdays a month (once in the afternoon and once in the evening), with additional meetings scheduled as needed. Commissioners earn $400 per month for their service.
On Oct. 19, Murphy and the four sitting commissioners made slight revisions to the previously discussed appointment timeline.
The city will begin soliciting candidate applications on Nov. 1, with applications available from the city clerk’s office or online at www.cityofannamaria.com. The application period closes on Friday, Dec. 15.
From Nov. 1 to Dec. 27, the city clerk’s office will accept candidate questions submitted by the public, the media, the mayor and the sitting commissioners. Questions can be emailed to amclerk@cityofannamaria.com. On Dec. 29, the compiled questions will be provided to the commission applicants who will then present their answers during a public forum at city hall on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024 at 6 p.m. Forum attendees will be allowed to pose follow-up questions to the written questions addressed or not addressed by the candidates.
The two vacant commission seats will then be filled by commission appointment on Thursday, Jan. 25. The appointments will be based on the individual candidate rankings made by sitting commissioners Mark Short, Jon Crane and Charlie Salem. The two top-ranked candidates will be appointed.
During Thursday’s meeting, Crane questioned whether Kingan might be willing to serve a one-year appointment and then vacate that seat with one year remaining. Murphy said he would discuss that possibility with Kingan. After the meeting, Kingan was asked about his interest in serving one more year. He said at this time he has no intention of doing so.
