Issaquah council appoints Kelly Jang to fill Position 6 after tied rounds and mayor—s tiebreak

The Issaquah City Council on Feb. 10 appointed Kelly Jang to fill the council—s Position 6 vacancy after several rounds of nominations and tied votes that ended when Mayor Pauli broke the deadlock.

The seat was open following the council—s vacancy process; the council had accepted applications through Jan. 25 and advanced seven qualified applicants after presentations on Feb. 3. At the Feb. 10 special meeting the council first narrowed that pool, then interviewed finalists and held closed executive sessions to discuss qualifications under the statute cited by staff ("RCW 42.3 0.11 per n 1 per n h"), before holding nominations and public votes.

Why it matters: The appointment fills a seat the council must fill within 90 days and adds a new vote to a seven-member body shaping city policy on housing, environmental stewardship and public services.

Council procedure and timeline The council began the evening by explaining the vacancy process and the schedule for candidate questions and executive session. The city clerk said the city had accepted applications through Jan. 25, and that 12 applicants met qualifications; at a prior meeting the council had forwarded seven applicants to the final stage. After a structured question-and-answer period with finalists, the council went into executive session to discuss qualifications.

Back in open session, the council unanimously (6-0) voted to move three nominees forward in the appointment process: Chris Richley (nominated by Council member Ray), Tina Hayes (nominated by Council member De Michelle) and Kelly Jang (nominated by the Council president). The council then held public nominations for the appointment and a sequence of votes, during which members repeatedly split 3-3.

Council debate and final vote The council discussed the strengths each finalist would bring. Speakers on the dais highlighted different priorities: some members emphasized experience leading commissions and economic development work, others cited backgrounds in human services or environmental stewardship. As the council president put it during deliberations, "we're all going to think about what's right for this particular moment and, a little bit, differently."

After multiple 3-3 votes failed to produce a majority, the mayor said she had reviewed materials and met with candidates and that she was prepared to break the tie. "I do not have an issue breaking the tie," Mayor Pauli said on the record. Following that intervention the council completed the roll call and the mayor—s participation produced a majority in favor of appointing Kelly Jang. The mayor then administered the oath of office and Jang was sworn in immediately.

Votes at a glance - Motion to advance three finalists (to the slate for appointment): 6 in favor, 0 opposed. - Final appointment (after multiple rounds and the mayor's tie-breaking participation): Kelly Jang appointed; final recorded outcome announced as unanimous on the dais following the mayor—s intervention and oath. Earlier rounds recorded multiple 3-3 splits; in one earlier tally Tina Hayes received 1 yes and 5 no votes in a round reported on the record.

What council members said Council members repeatedly described the choice as difficult. Council member Ray, who nominated Chris Richley, said he favored a candidate with deep ties to the local business community and commission leadership. The council president described the decision as weighing who was "right for this particular moment." Mayor Pauli, explaining her decision to break the deadlock, said she had met with candidates and reviewed materials and concluded she was "not uncomfortable making this election."

Next steps and context With Jang sworn in, the council returns to a full complement of members. Council members and the mayor thanked the finalists and all applicants; the mayor encouraged those not selected to remain engaged, noting the possibility of another vacancy during the upcoming election cycle. The council may now continue its work on the strategic plan priorities and other items discussed during candidate interviews, including housing, environmental policy and city budgeting.

Ending Kelly Jang took the oath of office at the conclusion of the meeting and took her seat on the council. The council adjourned the special meeting later the same night.