Commissioners set quick process for filling temporary District 5 vacancy

After Commissioner Etheridge requested an extended medical leave, the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 adopted a process to fill his District 5 seat temporarily through January 2026, when he may return.

The board approved the following steps: each commissioner will rank their top five candidates and submit those ranked lists directly to the county attorney (do not reply-all). The county attorney will collate the submissions and identify the top three vote-getters (if ties occur that require it, staff will include a fourth candidate for interviews). The board scheduled a special meeting for Oct. 27 at 5:00 p.m. to interview the finalists and to select and vote on an appointee. Staff will notify the finalists and, if selected, the appointee will be sworn in at the board's first November meeting.

"I would make a motion that each commissioner pick their top 5 by rank, send them into the county attorney, let her collate them and pick the top 3," Commissioner Jarvis said on the record; the motion carried. Commissioners requested that submissions be provided to staff by Wednesday of the week following the Oct. 20 meeting to allow time for collation and notification.

The board did not identify the candidates during the Oct. 20 session; the clerk and county attorney will manage the logistics and public notice for the Oct. 27 interview session.