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Town Councilor Arne Jorgensen plans to start his four-year term as mayor early next year, but two years remain in his current town council term. To be sworn into office as mayor, he’ll have to vacate his seat.
That means the first order of business for a new town council will be to decide how to appoint a fifth member.
The last town council appointment was in 2013, when the council appointed Don Frank, who was reelected in 2014 and did not seek reelection in 2018.
“My goal is to have them sworn in by the middle of January,” Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen is not sure exactly what the appointment process will look like. But based on town and state statutes and historical precedent, he said it could play out like this:
After Jorgensen vacates his seat, the council will hammer out a resolution allowing town staff to accept letters of interest and applications from potential candidates and setting a schedule of actions leading up to the appointment of a candidate. Anyone could apply.
Unlike county commissioners, town councilors are a nonpartisan elected position.
Councilors then interview those candidates who have expressed interest. Jorgensen said he has heard interest from some already, asking what the process looks like.
“I know that the other council members are getting similar questions,” Jorgensen said.
The mayor-elect declined to share names of potential candidates because the new council has yet to take office and there’s been no formal consideration.
Town Councilor Jessica Sell-Chambers, Jorgensen’s opponent in this year’s mayoral race, has expressed interest, though.
“I’m definitely not opposed to applying for that appointment,” Sell-Chambers said, “there is absolutely something to be said for having a continuity of institutional knowledge.”
The appointment will require the majority vote of the four Town Council members Jorgensen, Jonathan Schechter, Devon Viehman and Kevin Regan.
