Members of the Oak Harbor City Council may cull out a few of the applicants for an empty seat during a special meeting Tuesday.
Five people applied for the seat, which became open after Bob Severns took over as mayor at the beginning of the year.
Council seat applicants are Erica Wasinger, Jes Walker-Wyse, Skip Pohtilla, Bob Morrison and Aaron Taggert.
Wasinger is a member of the city’s Parks Board, serves on both the Oak Harbor Education Foundation and the North Whidbey Little League, and was the campaign manager for Severns’ successful mayoral campaign. She is the co-owner of a real estate business.
Walker-Wyse is a member of the city’s planning commission, the branch manager of Peoples Bank’s Oak Harbor Financial Center, a former employee in the city’s finance department and a Navy veteran.
Skip Pohtilla is a retired Navy lieutenant commander, a former property manager and a volunteer who has long been involved in many community activities, including the Arts Commission, North Whidbey Community Harvest, Fidalgo Avenue Pig Roast, Military Appreciation Picnic and Driftwood Day. He unsuccessfully ran against Councilman Jim Campbell.
Bob Morrison is a Navy veteran, a former councilman, an unsuccessful mayoral candidate and a former businessman. He was the chairman of the city’s Comprehensive Plan Task Force for five years and has been involved in several civic groups over the years.
Aaron Taggert is the CEO of a nonprofit that focuses on parliamentary procedure and leadership for students and a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.
The deadline for applying to the open seat was Jan. 4. The council will appoint one of the applicants to serve out the two years left on the term.
City Administrator Doug Merriman explained that council members will have a special meeting at 3 p.m. Jan. 12 to review the applications and create a shortlist.
They will then interview the candidates at the regular meeting Jan. 19 and likely enter an executive session to discuss the candidates’ qualifications. They may make a decision on the appointment in public that night.
In the past, an appointment to an empty seat has led to political careers beyond the fill-in term. Mayor Severns and Councilman Joel Servatius, for example, started out as appointees.
