Five so far apply for Oceanside council seat
For the fourth time in three years, the Oceanside City Council is looking for someone to appoint to one of the city’s top elected positions.
Eric Anderson, Clyde Frazier Jr., Chelsea Gutmann, Darin Selnick and Laird Stabler have applied so far. The vacancy was created Nov. 3 when former District 1 Councilwoman Esther Sanchez was elected mayor.
One other person, Marisa DeLuca, submitted her name but later withdrew, said City Clerk Zeb Navarro.
Applications are due at the city clerk’s office by 4 p.m. Jan. 8 and can be f iled online or printed out at the city website, www.ci.oceanside.ca.us.
Less than two years remains in the term that Sanchez was elected to in 2018, the f irst for the newly created council district. Applicants must be 18 years old, reg istered to vote and a resident of District 1, which is the northwestern quadrant of the city.
The City Council has scheduled a special meeting Jan. 27 to inter view the applicants and could appoint someone then. The next opportunity to appoint someone would be at the regular Feb. 3 council meeting, or the council could call a special meeting for a decision Feb. 10.
If the council is unable to agree or decides not to pick someone, it will have to schedule a special election. The next oppor tunity to hold a special election is almost a year away, Nov. 2, and could cost the city more than $250,000. Council members said Dec. 16 that they hope to avoid the delay and the expense by making the appointment.
Two Oceanside residents at the Dec. 16 meeting said they would prefer to hold an election, because they believe that would make the person more responsible to the voters.
Two current council members, Ryan Keim and Peter Weiss, f irst took off ice as appointees. The council appointed Weiss as mayor in January 2018 after former Mayor Jim Wood retired in ill health. Keim was appointed in January 2019 to f ill the remainder of the atlarge term held by Sanchez when she was elected to represented the new District 1 in November 2018.