Gig Harbor needs to fill a council seat. Interested? Here’s the deadline, how to apply
The Gig Harbor City Council is looking for someone to fill the seat left by Tracie Markley, who took office as the city’s mayor this month.
Registered voters in Gig Harbor who have lived in the city limits since at least Jan. 22, 2021 are eligible.
The position typically takes 10 to 15 hours a week and pays $713 a month without benefits, according to a city news release Tuesday.
Whoever is appointed would serve until the results of the November 2023 election are certified.
The application asks for a statement about why the person wants the appointment and a biography that explains the person’s experience, education and community service.
The deadline to apply is noon Jan. 14, and interviews will happen 1 p.m. Jan. 18 at a special council meeting — though not everyone who applies is guaranteed an interview.
The public will be able to watch the interviews and the election online.
The council will go into executive session after the interviews to talk about the candidates. Then it will return to make nominations. Next, council members will cast written votes. If no one gets four or more votes, they’ll take the candidate with the fewest votes out of the running and poll again, until someone has a majority.
If the council chooses someone, the new member’s first meeting will be Jan. 24.
If the council can’t get a majority, it can postpone the election.
State law says Pierce County gets to make the appointment if the seat is vacant after 90 days.
The person appointed will be one of several new members of the council. Roger Henderson, Brenda Lykins and Seth Storset were elected in November, The Gateway reported, joining incumbents Jeni Woock, Robyn Denson and Le Rodenberg.
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 12:08 PM.
