The Imperial Beach City Council on Sept. 17 advanced four candidates for the vacant District 3 seat and set a second round of interviews for Oct. 1, giving each applicant prepared questions in advance and reserving time for live council questions before a final decision.

Council members narrowed eight applicants to four in a public interview process that evening. City Clerk Kelly read the tabulation aloud: “Brian Bilbrey received 3 votes, Beatrice Blevins received 1 vote, John Keating received 1 vote, and Mariko Nakawadase received 3 votes.” The council then voted unanimously to bring those four candidates back for a follow-up interview and to finalize the appointment by the council’s Oct. 1 meeting if possible.

The appointment fills the District 3 seat left vacant when former Mayor Paloma Geary won election to the county board of supervisors; council rules and state law give the council until Oct. 19, 2025, to appoint a replacement or call a special election. “The deadline to appoint someone is 10/19/2025, and then the term of this office runs through November, 2026,” City Manager Tyler Fultz told the council during his overview of the selection process.

Council set the Oct. 1 format by motion: staff and the mayor will produce two questions to be provided to the four candidates in advance; each council member may ask one live follow-up question during the meeting. Candidates will have five minutes to respond to the prepared questions and up to three minutes for council follow-ups. The council also agreed that the meeting will include a public-comment period after each candidate’s prepared answers.

Council members described the extra round as a way to let applicants prepare concise answers and to give members time to weigh experience and availability. Council Member Fisher, who supported the delay, said he wanted a mix of prepared and unscripted answers to test how candidates think on their feet. Mayor McKay emphasized the need to finish the appointment within the legally required window.

The eight original applicants who presented at the Sept. 17 meeting included a mix of former elected officials, veterans and local activists. Candidates who advanced to the next round are former council member and mayoral official Brian “Pat” Bilbrey; Beatrice “Betty” Blevins; John Keating, a retired civil engineer and traffic specialist; and Mariko Nakawadase, a county staffer and longtime community volunteer. Several community members spoke during public comment in favor of specific applicants; a number of written emails were also submitted to the council and included in the packet.

If no candidate receives the required three votes at the Oct. 1 meeting, council members said they will continue the process at subsequent meetings as allowed by state timelines. The council must either appoint a replacement by Oct. 19 or call a special election, which staff said could cost roughly $250,000 if the vote center model is used.

The council’s public interviews, random presentation order and the plan to provide prepared questions reflect a process the council described as designed for transparency and fairness.