The Atherton Town Council directed staff to solicit applicants for a vacant council seat and signaled a preference to interview candidates at an October study session and make an appointment at the November meeting.

The move comes after council members debated whether to appoint an interim member immediately or allow the public to apply and vote in November. Council members discussed a short public application window and whether interviews and appointment should be split between a study session and a regular meeting.

Vice Mayor Stacy said the council should be transparent and broaden outreach so residents know the opportunity is short-term and not a full four-year commitment. “We owe it to our residents to be as transparent as possible and to show that they can trust their council,” Stacy said. Council Member Rick said he agreed with Stacy that the council should not appoint someone at that meeting and favored a public announcement and application period. “I agree with Stacy that we should not be appointing today. I think that we should go out with an announcement to the general public,” Rick said.

Council discussion covered staff recommendations to accept applications for three weeks, conduct interviews at the study session, then optionally make the appointment at the regular meeting. Several members said they were comfortable conducting interviews and voting at the same meeting if candidate information arrived in time. Council Member Whitmer noted that if staff cannot provide applicant information in time, the appointment could instead be made at the regular meeting.

By general agreement, council members expressed a preference for making the appointment effective through the November election, so the replacement would serve until voters select a successor. No formal motion or roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; council direction was recorded as a consensus to proceed with public solicitation, interviews in October if possible, and an appointment tied to the November schedule.

Council staff were asked to prepare an announcement and, if possible, deliver applicant materials to the council by the study session so interviews could proceed there. The council closed the agenda item and moved on to the next business.

Next steps outlined by council members included a public announcement, a short application window (staff suggested about three weeks), interviews at the October study session if applicant information is available, and an appointment at the regular November meeting if the council chooses to do so.