Wilmington council to interview seven applicants June 30 for temporary council seat

Wilmington, Vermont — The Wilmington City Council said it will interview seven applicants on June 30 to fill a temporary city council vacancy and will likely enter an executive session after the interviews to make a selection and vote.

The item arose after a public commenter asked the council to accommodate an applicant's request for a shorter term. During the open meeting the council voted unanimously to enter executive session to discuss the appointment of a public officer.

City Manager Jesse Baker told the council the authority to appoint rests with them and that applications are on file for their consideration. A motion to enter executive session "to consider entering executive session pursuant to 1 BSA 3 1 3 8 3 for the purpose of discussing the appointment of a public officer and bringing in Jesse Baker and Steve Locke" passed with four councilors voting in favor, which the council announced as unanimous with four councilors present.

During public comment, Tom Bailey asked the council to accommodate an applicant's preference: he said Chris Kerrigan wishes to be appointed to a two-year term rather than a three-year term and asked the council to make that change if possible. Bailey also noted Brad Kromp and Kerrigan had been appointed to the economic development committee and expressed a desire to keep volunteers content.

After returning from executive session, the council described the process it will use: interview the seven applicants on June 30, likely convene in executive session after those interviews, then emerge to make a selection and take a formal vote.

The council did not announce a final selection or vote at the June 18 meeting. The appointment process, including whether the council will grant the two-year term requested for one applicant, will be resolved at or after the June 30 interviews.