Westminster sets interview process and schedule to fill vacant council seat

Westminster City Council finalized procedures and a schedule on Dec. 8 to interview applicants for a vacant council seat and to vote on an appointment the same day. The vacancy arose when then-Councilor Carmelia was sworn in as mayor; City Attorney Dave Frankel cited city charter section 5.7, which requires council to fill vacancies by majority vote within 30 days.

City Clerk Abby Fitch outlined a proposed interview plan that included fixed interview slots and a roll-call voting process for finalists. Councilors debated whether to hold Friday interviews as a contingency and how many finalists to select; after nominations the clerk compiled seven finalists. Council voted 6–0 to use a straight time box for interviews (no pausing the clock between questions) and approved a Saturday schedule with 30-minute interview slots beginning at 8:30 a.m., a half-hour lunch break, and a 1:00 p.m. start for deliberation and the special meeting vote. The clerk also confirmed the interview portion will be livestreamed.

Councilors were granted the opportunity to submit up to two pre-submitted questions for candidates, and the clerk said candidates will be expected to respond to the allotted time without unrelated digressions. The charter and council rules (including a process that eliminates zero-vote candidates in successive rounds) will govern the roll-call appointment vote.