By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
The Wyoming City Council is scheduled to interview and select a resident of the city’s First Ward to fill a vacated seat on the council Monday, March 26. WKTV will be broadcasting the interviews and swearing in of the new council member on WKTV Channel 26.
The special meeting is set to start at 5 p.m. with the interview of Jennifer Franson. The interview session will be about 30 minutes followed by a 10-minute break and the second interview with Sheldon DeKryger will take place at 5:40 p.m.
After the second interview, there will be a short discussion session with the council scheduled to selected one of the two candidates to fill the seat. The candidate is scheduled to be sworn in that night, said City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg.
In January, William VerHulst announced he would not be seeking re-election to his 1st Ward seat due to health concerns. His current term is up in the fall. About a month later, he sent in his resignation from the council. With the vacancy, the council is obligated to fill the seat, VandenBerg. said. The person selected at Monday night’s special meeting will serve in the seat until November when the term expires.
Whoever is elected in November will then take over the seat. Any candidate seeking the 1st Ward seat must live in Wyoming’s 1st Ward. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
VandenBerg said that currently only DeKryger has filed a petition seeking to be on the ballot for the vacated seat. She added that several packets have been taken out. For the August primary, Aug. 7, and the general election, Nov. 6, the city will have several council seats up for election. Beside’s VerHulst’s 1st Ward seat, two council-member at large seats, currently held by Kent Vanderwood and Sam Bolt, and the mayor’s seat, currently held by Jack Poll, are up for election. Vanderwood, Bolt and Poll said they all plan to run for re-election for their current positions.
Those interested in running for any of the council or mayor seats need to file with the Wyoming City’s clerk office by 4 p.m. April 24. The clerk’s office is located in the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Candidate packets are available at the front desk.
