North Bend Councilman wants job back
September 30, 2009
By Michael Rowe
Former North Bend City Councilman Chris Garcia wants his old job back.
Garcia is the only person to file an application for one of the city’s two new council positions as of Sept. 23. He declined to comment for this story, saying he would have nothing to say until after appointments were made.HE resigned in March 2008.
Alan Gothelf was appointed to his vacant seat. He is co-owner of five Frankie’s Pizza locations, including one in North Bend. He cited being too busy as his reason for resigning. However, he left the door open to returning to city politics.
“It’s something I’d like to come back to,” said Garcia, when announcing his resignation in 2008.
According to his application, Garcia has Bachelor of Arts degrees from Western Washington University and Washington State University. His volunteer activities include membership on the Alpine Days Committee from 2002-2006, President of the Snoqualmie Valley Wrestling Club from 2003 to the present and participation in the North Bend Downtown Clean Up. He also is a board member of the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce and served on the city’s planning commission.
North Bend residents Ryan Kolodejchuk and Doug Weinmaster have also indicated that they plan to file applications for the City Council positions.
The city is creating council positions No. 6 and No. 7 as a result of the Tanner Annexation, which pushed the city’s population over 5,000. The bump in population requires the city to go from a five- to seven-member council.
Application materials must be postmarked by Oct. 9. Applicants for the new positions can live anywhere in the city, including in the Tanner Annexation area. However, applicants have to have lived in North Bend or the annexation area for at least one year. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old and be registered to vote.
Applications can be requested by e-mailing cherylp@ci.north.bend.wa.us. Applicants must also submit a resume outlining their professional background and community experience.
The City Council will select finalists to be interviewed at the Oct. 20 council meeting. Finalist will be interviewed in open session at the council’s Nov. 17 meeting. Following the interviews, the council will discuss the applicants in a closed session.
The council will then reconvene the open session and vote on the appointments. The appointees will be sworn in by the mayor.
The appointees will have to file financial affairs statements with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.
The new council positions will come up for election in November 2011.
North Bend City Council members are paid $400 a month.
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