Duluth personnel committee advances three finalists for District 2 council vacancy

The Duluth City Council personnel committee on Monday advanced three finalists for the District 2 council vacancy following more than an hour of candidate interviews and procedural discussion. The committee used a ranked-choice scoring method (3 points for a first preference, 2 for second, 1 for third) to select the top three candidates who will move to a second round of interviews at the full council meeting on Monday.

The action matters because the council will amend the appointment resolution at the full meeting to insert the chosen name and vote on a final appointment. The committee’s vote does not itself fill the seat; it selects finalists for the council to consider and, if desired, appoint.

The personnel committee advanced Deborah DeLuca (22 points), Craig Bursch (11 points) and Janet Nelson (10 points). Six applicants were interviewed: Craig Bursch, Deborah (Deb) DeLuca, Eric Lindell, Janet Nelson, Aaron Rose and Sam Weston. Each candidate addressed their background, why they sought the temporary appointment and their priorities if appointed for the remainder of the term.

Applicants emphasized different policy priorities. Several focused on housing and infrastructure: Craig Bursch emphasized infrastructure and transportation committee work; Deborah DeLuca highlighted her executive experience with local economic development and port authority work and said she could “hit the ground running;” Janet Nelson cited government and labor experience and prioritized childcare and air-quality outreach during wildfire smoke events. Other candidates pressed for tenant protections, expanded transit and mixed-use development, and said they would center working-class and renter voices.

Committee members also discussed process and logistics for the next steps. The committee described the Monday schedule: each finalist will receive a 20-minute interview block at the full council meeting, with questions in multiple rounds from council members. The clerk will post the schedule and any adjustments online. The committee agreed that if additional time is required, interviews could extend up to 6:30 p.m., but the council meeting is expected to start on time and the committee will try to avoid delaying city business.

The committee explained its selection method to the public: ballots were weighted (3/2/1) and tabulated by the city clerk. The clerk announced the tallies and the three finalists who will return for the Monday session. The personnel chair and the city clerk confirmed that, at the full council meeting, the council will move to amend the pending resolution to insert the name of the appointee before voting.

The committee also fielded procedural concerns from council members and members of the public about the appointment process, including how to balance appointment authority with public input. Committee members said they had aimed to be neutral and that some councilors had received constituent emails but had not engaged with candidates outside the publicly advertised process.

Next steps: the three finalists will appear again at the Monday council meeting for a possible final appointment. The full council will consider motions to insert a chosen name into the appointment resolution and then vote. If votes tie or additional rounds are required, the council may reconvene the personnel process as provided in council procedure.