Eight apply for council seat
Special meeting scheduled Thursday to consider applicants
Before the deadline of noon on Jan. 21, eight people had applied to the City of Ukiah in the hopes of being appointed to fill the seat on the Ukiah City Council vacated by Maureen Mulheren, who was recently elected to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
The eight applicants include former City Council members Mari Rodin, who ran against Mulheren for the 2nd District seat on the county’s Board of Supervisors in the November 2020 election, and Steve Scalmanini, who lost his seat on the City Council in November after coming in fourth place among the seven candidates.
The other six applicants for the vacancy are: Jason Howard, Michelle Johnson, Cameron Ramos (a Ukiah City Council candidate in the November 2020 election),
Susan Sher, Joel Veikko Soinila and Jeff Trouette.
All of the applicants were asked to describe the relevant skills and experience they could bring to the board, what they believe is the role of the board, to list three to five significant issues facing the city, and to share their thoughts on topics such as public safety, the city’s infrastructure, economic development, city finances and quality of life issues.
The City Council has scheduled a special meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 28 to “review the applications received, hold a discussion and question the applicants if necessary, and possibly nominate and appoint one of the applicants to fill the unexpired term of Mulheren,” which is set to end in November of 2022.
All of the applications are included in the agenda packet prepared for the special meeting, and can be downloaded here: http://www.cityofukiah. com/meetings/
With Mulheren recusing herself, the council voted unanimously last month to appoint a new council member rather than hold a special election at a potential cost of $30,000. According to city code, “the appointment must be made within 60 days of the vacancy, which would require a selection by March 5, 2021.”
The last time a member left for the Board of Supervisors in 2008, the City Council appointed Mary Anne Landis to fill the seat vacated by John Mccowen, whose 2nd District seat Mulheren took over.