Coachella residents interested in being considered for the city council vacancy have until Tuesday at 5 p.m. to turn in their applications.
The vacancy was created earlier this year when former Mayor Pro Tem Frank Figueroa was appointed to the position of mayor following the resignation of former Mayor Steven Hernandez, who left office after pleading guilty to one felony count of conflict of interest. Figueroa is set to remain in the role for the remainder of the term, which ends following the November election.
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The council has until June 22 to either make an appointment or call for a special election. If the council does not make an appointment, the seat will remain vacant until after the November election.
If the council does make an appointment, the selected person would fill the seat for the remainder of the term, which ends following the November election.
To be eligible for appointment, applicants must be residents of the city of Coachella, at least 18 years old and registered to vote in the city.
Council members are expected to attend all city council meetings regularly scheduled for 6 p.m. at Coachella City Hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month as well as study sessions and special meetings as scheduled. Council members receive a nominal stipend for their service.
In addition to regular council service, council members are also assigned to serve on subcommittees, commissions and agency boards.
In order to be considered, those interested must submit their completed applications by 5 p.m. on May 26 to the Coachella City Clerk in person at 53990 Enterprise Way or via email at cityclerk@coachella.org. Applications can be found here on the city’s website.
The council is set to discuss next steps for filling the vacancy at its regularly scheduled May 27 meeting, including whether to set a special meeting date to interview applicants.
“The procedures are up to you,” City Attorney Ryan Guiboa told the council at the May 13 meeting. “They can be informal, or you can adopt a more formal appointment process, which can include applications, interviews and the like.”
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