Greenacres council sets schedule to fill District 5 vacancy; candidates to be considered Oct. 20

City Manager McHugh told the City Council of Greenacres on a recent evening that the council will consider applicants to fill the District 5 vacancy at its Oct. 20 meeting and may elect a successor within 30 days of the vacancy.

The city manager read the charter language that governs filling council vacancies and said applications were accepted between Sept. 19 and Oct. 3. McHugh told the council the resignation from former Councilmember Paula Bousquet was submitted on Sept. 19 and effective Sept. 30, and that the chosen appointee would serve the remainder of the term through March 2028.

The charter provision presented to the council states that when a council office becomes vacant more than 120 days before the next biennial election, the remaining council members shall elect a successor for the unexpired term within 30 days of the vacancy. McHugh said the city attorney and city clerk recommended that councilmembers review candidate materials and, if desired, contact applicants before the Oct. 20 meeting to ask questions or pose scenarios.

Mayor Chuck Shaw and Councilmember Noble asked procedural clarification during the discussion and were told there are five applicants for the seat. The council did not take a formal vote on the appointment at the session; instead, members agreed to proceed with the schedule described by McHugh and to consider the appointment at the Oct. 20 meeting.

Nathan Golang, a District 2 resident who spoke during public comment, urged the council to choose a candidate who will “put working people first” and pay attention to rising costs of living and underserved communities. Golang said he hoped the appointment process would engage residents and produce a candidate who addresses local economic concerns.

With no formal action taken at the meeting, the council will return Oct. 20 with agenda item "District 5 council member appointment" to discuss candidates and, if the council chooses, elect an appointee to serve through March 2028.