At a May 19 Pagosa Springs Town Council meeting, Town Clerk April Hessman informed the council that “we have not gotten any letters of interest” to fill the town council vacancy.
The open seat is an at-large seat that was formerly held by Matt DeGuise.
The seat was not filled in the town’s April election.
“So, we are looking for a new council member to be appointed,” Hessman said.
The Town of Pagosa Springs, pursuant to the town charter, put out a public notice that there’s currently one vacancy on the town council, a seven-person governmental body, per the charter.
The council must now appoint someone to the seat, per the town charter, with the town’s notice on the matter stating that the candidate would be chosen to fill the vacancy at the May 19 town council meeting.
However, no candidate had filled out the letter of interest application, found on the town’s website, for the seat by the May 13 deadline.
Hessman explained that because no one had applied, the town would be extending the deadline to apply to June 10.
She urged potential applicants to “come on out and join the team.”
“We did put it in the paper. We put in our website, and we have not gotten any letters of interest, so we are really looking for someone to come on out” and apply for the position, she said.
If all goes as planned and applications are turned in, the council will appoint someone to the seat at its second meeting in June, she noted.
Potential candidates must be a resident of and live within the boundary limits of the Town of Pagosa Springs.
The council will interview candidates in public at that second June meeting, she added.
“Then you guys can decide and appoint someone to that empty at-large seat, so hopefully people can find that information on our website, the application as well as the requirements, as far as living in town,” she said.
The position pays $200 a month, she added, so “if you know anybody, please have them come out and join the fun.”
Mayor Shari Pierce also urged her fellow council members to “reach out to people in the community that you think might be good members to join us and get that seat filled,” pointing to the empty seat.
Any questions about town boundaries, eligibility or general information can be found at www.pagosasprings.co.gov or by calling (970) 264-4151.
derek@pagosasun.com
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