ML Council to keep Position No. 1 vacant

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council shifted gears in its quest to fill Position No. 1 vacated by Bill Ecret.

In a previous meeting, the City Council decided to accept resumes and letters of interest from city residents looking to serve on the council until Dec. 31.

However, that decision was reversed in a 4-2 vote after council member Mike Norman raised his concerns.

“I originally voted for the process we are now following, however, I’m having some thoughts based on basically we are leaning on a process where we’re putting someone on the City Council who has not been voted in, quite frankly, and I have some problems with that ... I would like the council to reconsider its present course and I am more than happy to make a motion to that effect if this is the appropriate time.”

City Manager John Williams explained that the seat would only be occupied until a certified election, which implied that an appointed council member would only serve for about five or six meetings.

Council members Don Myers and Ryann Leonard were in agreement with Norman’s proposal.

“Each one of us as council members are going to have to be responsible for their decisions and I’m not exactly comfortable with that,” Myers said. “I leave that to the voters to decide who should be making those decisions and I’d just like to formally state that I do not want to appoint anyone to the vacant position.”

Deputy Mayor Karen Liebrecht wanted to continue the appointment process.

“I do feel we have an obligation to listen to those who have put their applications in,” she said.

Mayor Todd Voth changed his vote and sided with halting the appointment process.

The city received four applications and Leonard thanked the applicants at the end of the meeting.

—Staff report