More than a dozen hopefuls seeking an appointment from City Council

The deadline to apply for a vacant two-year seat on the City Council of Chula Vista is less than a week away.

As of Monday, 13 individuals had submitted their application to fill the void on the dais left by then councilwoman and current Mayor Mary Casillas Salas.

Those 13 applicants are: James Clark, Rob Corcilius, Bryan Felber, Bernard Gonzales, Willard Howard, Micahel Jackson, Steven Miesen, Lisa Moctezuma, Kevin O’Neill, Benito Orozco, Jose Serrato, Mike Spethman and Linda Wagner.

Casillas Salas ran for mayor as a councilwoman and won.

As a result of moving into the mayoral seat, Casillas Salas had to give up her seat as a councilwoman.

The passage of Prop. B allows the City Council to decide how to fill a vacant seat, whether through an appointment or a special election.

The council unanimously voted on an appointment Dec. 2.

Applications for appointment must be submitted online on the city’s website or at the City Clerk’s Office by Monday, Dec. 29.

The four remaining council members will then review the applications and notify the city clerk in writing of one or more applicants each wishes to bring in for an interview. The city clerk tallies those nominations.
The mayor and council then set a time to collectively interview each applicant who received two or more nominations.

Following interviews, the mayor and council will vote on an individual for appointment.

An appointment must be made by Jan. 23. If the council fails to appoint someone by then, filling the vacancy will default to a special election.

The term for the appointed seat expires in 2016.

Under the city’s charter, the appointee has to sit out a year after the term is up before they can run for a council seat in the city of Chula Vista.