Scotts Valley council appoints new vice mayor, repeals dated municipal code and approves application process to fill council vacancy

Scotts Valley City Council voted unanimously Thursday to appoint Council Member Lind as vice mayor, adopt an urgency ordinance repealing an older municipal code requirement for special elections to fill council vacancies, and direct staff to run an application-based appointment process with applications due Sept. 24 and a council selection planned for Oct. 1.

City Attorney Powell told the council the city must fill the vacant vice mayor seat within 60 days under California Government Code section 36512 and that the city’s Municipal Code section 2.23030 (adopted in 1984) currently requires a special election. “Special elections cost approximately $50,000, if not more,” staff said, and the timing would likely push a special election into April 2026, creating additional costs and administrative complexity ahead of the November 2026 general election.

The repeal was presented as an urgency ordinance so the council could act within the 60‑day window and default to state law, which gives the council the option to appoint a replacement or call a special election. Following staff recommendations, the council adopted the urgency ordinance by unanimous vote, making the repeal effective immediately.

The council then moved to fill the vacancy by appointment rather than holding a special election. Staff outlined two appointment options: a direct appointment of a community member who meets basic requirements (minimum age, residency and voter registration in Scotts Valley) or an application process. Staff recommended the application process given the remaining length of the term and the city’s budget concerns.

Under the timeline approved by the council, the city will post an application on the city website and make printed copies available at city hall. Applications will be due to the city clerk by Sept. 24 at 5 p.m.; staff said that deadline allows applications to be published with the Oct. 1 council agenda and for the council to consider and select an appointee at that meeting. Staff also recommended, and the council approved, several clarifications to the draft application: change the eligibility wording to “be at least 18 years of age,” add an optional resume attachment, and expand a civic-engagement question to include voting participation without asking whom applicants voted for.

Staff described how other nearby cities (Capitola and Monte Sereno) handled similar appointments, including a ranked-choice approach among council members during the meeting: council members privately rank their top choices, then announce first choices to identify a candidate with majority support or continue to subsequent preference rounds.

All motions on the agenda passed unanimously. The council instructed staff to post the application, prepare the Oct. 1 staff report with application materials and recommended procedures, and proceed with the application timeline for appointment. The newly appointed vice mayor will serve for the remainder of the current term through December 2026 unless the council calls a special election.

The council adjourned after completing the agenda items.