Lewiston council opts for appointment route and opens applications to fill Ward 5 seat

The Lewiston City Council voted to proceed with the appointment process set out in the city charter to fill the vacant Ward 5 seat and directed staff to open applications immediately for consideration on the Jan. 20 council agenda.

City Attorney Marty Eisenstein told councilors that under the charter—specifically sections 2.06(c) and 2.06(d)—the council has 30 days from the resignation to appoint an eligible person and that special elections are only required under limited circumstances. "If you vote no [on appointing], then I think you need to vote to hold a meeting to decide the contours of a special election," Eisenstein said, urging the council to follow the charter’s timelines.

Councilors split over whether to honor what many public commenters called the voters’ preference for the candidate identified in public remarks as Rinsoul. A proposal to direct staff to place a motion on the Jan. 20 agenda to appoint that candidate failed 2-5 after extended public comment and debate about transparency. Instead, the council voted 7-0 to direct staff to announce and accept applications for the Ward 5 seat and to return recommendations; the clerk advised that applications should be submitted by Wednesday, January 14 at 4:00 p.m. to be included in the Jan. 20 packet.

Council members who opposed immediate appointment said they were not prepared to install a representative less than a day after the resignation and without a public process; supporters said expediency was necessary to restore representation and get work on the budget underway. Several residents urged the council to "follow the law or do the right thing," reflecting the tension between legal constraints and local expectations.

Next steps: staff will publicize the application process and return recommended procedures and candidate lists to the council so it can make an appointment on or before Feb. 7, the attorney said.