Columbus City Council Now Accepting Applications to Fill Vacant Seat
November 29, 2022
{COLUMBUS, OH} -- Following the process
outlined by the City Charter and Code, Columbus City Council is currently
accepting applications to fill the vacant seat created by the upcoming
resignation of President Pro Tempore Elizabeth Brown.
In
a memo to City
Council Members, Council President Shannon Hardin provided an outline of the
timeline and process to fill the vacancy. Applicants must email a current
resume to [email protected]
by Friday, December 9, 2022, at 12:00pm, which will be filed with the City
Clerk pursuant to Columbus City Code section
111.35(A). Members of Council will submit a list of finalists to the
Clerk by Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 12:00pm. Only applications received
after November 29 and before the December 9 deadline will be considered.
“To
ensure the continuity of governing, Council must fill vacant seats based on the
process outlined in the City Code,” said President Shannon Hardin. “As we
prepare for historic changes at Council, moving to a nine-member hybrid
district system to better represent our neighborhoods, I believe the City would
be best served by an experienced civic leader who can act as a caretaker. While
I am only one member of this body, I will be looking for applicants to finish
the one year remainder of Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown’s term
rather than applicants planning to campaign for the seat in the 2023
elections.”
A
public hearing will be held the week of January 2, 2023 to hear comment from
the public on the list of finalists. Members of the public who wish to provide
testimony, either in-person or digitally via WebEx, should email [email protected]
with the subject line “Speaking at Vacancy Public Hearing” by noon on the day
of the hearing. Written testimony may also be emailed to [email protected].
During
the January 9, 2023 council meeting, Council Members will nominate applicants
for the vacancy and vote to appoint a new member. If a majority of Council
Members vote to appoint a nominee, they will then be eligible to be sworn in
under oath and take office pursuant to Section 5 of the City
Charter and Section 111.35 of Columbus City Code. The appointed nominee will
serve the remainder of President Pro Tempore Brown’s term, which expires in
January 2024.
The full memo can be viewed
here.