The City of Newcastle is looking to fill its vacant city council position, and anyone interested, regardless of their skill set, is invited to apply.
The application deadline is 9 a.m. Nov. 25.
Newcastle City Clerk Jayne Westman said the new councilmember’s term ends in Nov. 2025, but if the soon-to-be councilmember desires, they can run for re-election. Westman said the position is usually one elected by the people through a vote, but because the person who left the position, Steve Tallman, resigned Oct. 15 before his term was up, the council now has to select a new councilmember before Jan. 13, 2025. Westman said if the council cannot fill the position by Jan. 13, then the King County Council will choose someone.
Tallman resigned over disagreements with whether to issue proclamations or raise related flags, according to Seattle Gay News, which quoted Tallman as saying “People, I refuse to hold hands with participants in this misguided, divisive, and unproductive environment, with people who refuse to put the welfare of our community at the top of the list in everything we do. … Effective immediately, I’m disassociating myself with this unhealthy, toxic environment. I could be more effective where I’m not consistently attacked by ignorance and hatred. I’m out.”
Westman said the requirements are that the applicant must be a registered voter of Newcastle and have lived in Newcastle for at least one year. To date, Westman said they’ve received four applications, but they’re looking for more. The compensation is $500 a month.
Westman said there’s not an open committee position for the new councilmember to join, though they might relieve a busy councilmember from one, so the council is not specifically looking for a person with expertise in a niche subject. Westman said the six councilmembers who are left each have a different idea of what they’re looking for, so they invite anyone who’s interested to apply.
“If you look at the six of their backgrounds, they’re all unique. They’re all over the map, which is what makes local government so awesome, right? That each one of them brings something different to the table, whether it be a school teacher or someone with a financial background or engineering background,” Westman said. “So I think whoever it is could be all over the map with who this person could be.”
What being a councilmember entails
Westman said council meetings are on the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can last two to four hours, depending on the topic and whether there is a study session.
Westman said the councilmember could serve on various regional commissions that tackle things such as transportation or homelessness, or serve on an internal committee such as the finance or the salary and benefits committee. Westman said another thing many councilmembers do is attend community events, though that is also not a requirement.
Westman said councilmembers oversee city goals, plans, policies, and, most importantly, the budget. Westman said the council then oversees the city manager, who oversees the daily activities of the city staff. She said the city staff then executes the visions and plans of the city council.
“They’re really visionaries for the city of Newcastle,” Westman said. “The councilmembers are those people who set the policies in place, and then it’s our job to make those things a reality.”
Westman said considering they only make $500 a month, councilmembers serve because they love where they live. Westman said councilmembers also need to have opinions about where they live, such as whether they want it to change or remain as is.
Westman said cities can be divided, so it can be a difficult job at times, and councilmembers must be open to people’s criticisms, feedback and comments. To apply, people can visit https://form.jotform.com/242895700359162.
