Seattle city council member Sally Clark, who's not running for reelection, announced today that she's leaving the council this month to take a job as community relations director at the University of Washington; she's leaving the council on April 12. 

With a wild first-ever district elections election already under way (there are 40 candidates in the mix), the council is going to fill Clark's spot with an appointee who is not currently running for council and who promises not to parlay the gig into a candidacy; in short, it will be a placeholder spot.

The council will accept applications, will whittle it down to qualified candidates (it's "not clear," council spokeswoman Dana Slote Robinson says, if a majority of the council members have to agree on that list), and then hold a public hearing process where the contenders have three minutes to present. A simple majority, five council members, would have to agree on the appointee.

All of this has to happen by April 27, according to charter rules. The rushed schedule is dicated by city rules which stipulate that if they don't fill the post within 20 days, they are required to meet every day until they do.

Clark is the chair of the human services committee, so the council says the winning candidate has to have professional experience and background in housing and human services issues and must have public service experience. Former council members (Jan Drago?) seem like a likely pick.

Here's the formal process, according to the council:

Application Period: Friday, April 3 through Tuesday, April 14 at 5:00 p.m.
Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to the City Clerk. The City Charter requires applicants be a citizen of the United States and a registered voter of the City of Seattle. Submissions can be made:
 
By email: [email protected]
In person: Seattle City Hall, Office of the City Clerk, 3rd Floor (600 Fourth Ave)
By mail: Office of the City Clerk s PO Box 94728 s Seattle, WA 98124-4728
By fax: 206-386-9025
 
City Clerk Transmission of Applications to Councilmembers: Wednesday, April 15
The City Clerk will provide to each Councilmember a notebook that includes all the applications received by the April 14 deadline. The City Clerk will also post all applications on the Council’s website, giving the public opportunity to review the applications and submit comments.
 
City Council Executive Session to Discuss Qualifications: Friday, April 17, 9:30 a.m.
As permitted by the Open Public Meetings Act, the Council will meet in executive session to discuss the qualifications of candidates.
 
City Council Selection of Finalists: Monday, April 20, 2:00 p.m.
The City Council will select a short list of finalists for the position at the Full Council meeting.
 
Presentations by Finalists to City Council: Wednesday, April 22, 5:30 p.m.
The City Council will convene a special public meeting to hear 3-minute presentations from the finalists, ask questions of the finalists, and receive comments from the public.
 
City Council Appointment: Monday, April 27, 2:00 p.m.
The Council will fill the vacancy at the Full Council meeting by a majority vote.
 
The City Charter gives the City Council 20 days to fill a vacant Council position. This period begins April 13, 2015, the day following Councilmember Sally J. Clark’s resignation. In the event the Council fails to fill the vacant position by the end of that 20-day period, the Council must meet every business day thereafter until the vacancy is filled.