Clinton City committee interviews 11 candidates for Home Rule Charter review; 24 applications remain

Clinton City’s advisory special appointments committee interviewed 11 applicants Saturday for the Home Rule Charter Review Commission as part of a process to select 11 commissioners and two alternates the committee plans to present to City Council in February.

The interviews, held in person with some participants joining by Microsoft Teams, were limited to three minutes per candidate. Committee members said they would compile ranked lists and average those rankings to produce a recommended slate for presentation to council on Feb. 11.

The panel heard candidates describe their interest in serving and summarize qualifications. Garrett Evans, an applicant, said he bought his house in Clinton at age 20 and described himself as “a blank canvas” ready to bring “fresh and new ideas” to the charter review. Matthew Briesch, a former city attorney and applicant, told the committee his legal background gives him “a pretty good understanding of how city government works.” Applicant Dave Vickers, a retired radio news professional who has covered hundreds of local meetings, said he would do the homework and “ask the questions to help make whatever result is generated something that’s the best for the community.”

Committee members emphasized a structured, time-limited process intended to accommodate applicants who work and to avoid giving any candidate an unfair advantage. The chair and staff said they would record interviews so an absent member could review them later.

Committee staff reported administrative updates: four applicants — Ben Parker, Kelly Schimmers, Chad Jensen and Timothy Nichols — withdrew their applications after the committee’s initial meeting, leaving 24 active applications. The group said Saturday’s interviews brought the number of completed candidate interviews to 11, with 13 interviews remaining and a follow-up meeting scheduled Monday at 5 p.m. to continue the process.

The committee described the ranking process it will use: members will record their ranked lists individually in a shared spreadsheet, forward them to staff, and staff will compile average rankings to identify the top 11 candidates and two alternates to present to City Council. The committee said it would refrain from including the presiding member’s own preferences on that compiled list to avoid a perception of conflict.

Formal committee business at the end of the session consisted of a motion to adjourn, which was moved and seconded and the meeting was ended by voice. No other formal votes on candidate selections took place; the committee will forward recommendations to City Council for consideration.

The Home Rule Charter Review Commission, if seated, will be tasked with reviewing the city’s Home Rule Charter and recommending any proposed charter edits or updates. The committee did not take policy positions or adopt any charter language during Saturday’s interviews.