Issaquah council advances four finalists for Jan. 20 interviews to fill vacant seat
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Summary
After hearing presentations from 12 applicants on Jan. 12, the Issaquah City Council moved a four-person slate — Catherine Hurt, Landon Halverson, Paul Adair and Jeff Newell — forward to the Jan. 20 final interview round following an executive session under RCW 42.30.110.
Issaquah Mayor Mullet and the city council on Jan. 12 heard presentations from a dozen applicants for the council vacancy left by Zach Hall’s appointment to the state legislature and voted by voice to advance a four-person slate to the Jan. 20 final interview round.
The vacancy, covered under agenda bill 9133, must be filled within 90 days from Jan. 1, the mayor said. Council members heard three- to five-minute presentations from 12 applicants after three others withdrew from the original pool of 15.
The applicants emphasized a range of priorities for the city. Jason Boss highlighted eight years of work on the Planning Policy Commission and task forces and said he would lean into middle housing, conservation projects such as Creeks to Peaks, and early planning for light rail. Jaime Fajardo framed his candidacy around human services, equity and community engagement. Paul Ignacio Rodriguez Adair, a CPA and Parks Board member, focused on budgeting, housing variety and police station needs. Jeff Newell said he would advocate for parks and trail connectivity, affordable housing and representation for neighborhoods north of I‑90. Other applicants raised issues including water quality, infrastructure, small-business support and communications.
After the public presentations the council met in a closed evaluation session under RCW 42.30.110 to discuss applicants’ qualifications, the mayor announced. The meeting reopened at 8:28 p.m., and council members chose to form a slate rather than make individual nominations.
Councilmember Chang nominated Paul Adair; Council Member Nichols nominated Landon Halverson; Councilmember Martz nominated Catherine Hurt; and a council member identified in the transcript as 'Council member Joe' nominated Jeffrey Newell. The four names were combined into a single slate to proceed to the next round.
Following brief remarks praising the overall quality of applicants and encouraging ongoing community involvement, the council approved the slate by voice vote. The mayor announced the slate will move forward for the Jan. 20 interviews; the clerk will notify the finalists. The council did not record a roll-call tally in the public record during the voice vote.
The council's next procedural step is the Jan. 20 meeting, when the finalists will be interviewed and the body is expected to narrow candidates further as specified in the appointment timeline for this vacancy.
