Seaside — The City Council discussed and clarified the process to appoint a replacement for the Ward 4 seat after a resignation.

Spencer summarized eligibility: candidates must have lived continuously in the city for 12 months by the time they take office, be Ward 4 residents and registered voters, gather 20 signatures, and submit the application by the established deadline. Councilors debated accessibility concerns for applicants without internet access and whether to require in‑person availability for forum and interview dates.

The council directed staff to set a Dec. 31 application deadline (staff to specify an exact time and accept accommodations if needed), publish interview/forum expectations in the application, and distribute a set of preset forum questions to confirmed applicants after the deadline. The council discussed holding a public forum on Jan. 7 and scheduling council interviews and final deliberation on Jan. 12, and agreed the format should allow both a public forum component and council interviews.

Councilors emphasized fairness in process and discussed logistics (broadcasting, public comment cards, and how to collect public feedback) so that input can be provided to the council before final votes.

What happens next: staff will finalize the posted deadline and application details, send the forum questions to applicants after the deadline, and publish the forum/interview format and public‑input mechanics.