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New Richmond council appoints Darwin Miller to fill District 2 vacancy after candidate presentations
Summary
After hearing from four applicants, the New Richmond City Council appointed Darwin Miller to fill the District 2 alderperson vacancy in a written-ballot vote and scheduled onboarding and swearing-in with the city clerk.
The New Richmond City Council appointed Darwin Miller to fill the District 2 vacancy on May 11 after a written-ballot selection process that followed public introductions and council questioning of four applicants.
The council opened the appointment item by summarizing the procedure: candidates had submitted written applications and were invited to introduce themselves and answer questions. Staff said a majority of council (four votes) would be required for appointment and that voting would be by paper ballot if the council chose to act that night.
Darwin Miller, who introduced himself as a 2008 New Richmond resident at 253 South Montana Avenue, described 25 years of customer-service work and 15 years serving as a police reserve. Miller said those experiences shaped how he listens and makes decisions, emphasizing calmness, following policy and respect for public trust.
Other applicants who spoke were Jason Caruso, a local restaurant owner who moved to New Richmond in 2015; Randall “Rand” Stany, a retired educator and former principal with a background in law and community organizing; and Tara Vanra Maldorf, a teacher and long-time volunteer active on the city’s preservation committee. Each candidate addressed a standard set of council questions, including how they view an alderperson’s responsibilities and—where relevant—their availability for daytime committee meetings.
Councilors asked candidates to describe the role of an alderperson and to explain priorities; several candidates emphasized fiscal responsibility, infrastructure needs (streets and stormwater), and downtown vitality. Miller told councilors he would prioritize constituent representation and would make efforts to attend meetings even when he has brief travel planned.
After the candidate presentations and questions, councilors cast written ballots. The mayor announced the selection and invited the appointee to coordinate swearing-in and onboarding with the city clerk. City staff said the new member would be assigned committee seats and onboarding steps would follow the clerk’s process.
The council’s action filled the District 2 seat vacated when an earlier appointee was elected mayor. The new alderperson will serve until the next applicable election or as provided by the city’s appointment rules.
