Consistent with state law, the preference of the City Council of the City of Canyon Lake is to fill any vacancy that may occur on the City Council by appointment rather than incur the costs of calling a special election. Therefore, to ensure that the City Council has adequate time to receive and consider applications for appointment, the following actions shall be taken in the event a vacancy occurs on the City Council:
(a) The City Manager shall immediately notify the remaining members of the City Council of any vacancy that occurs.
(b) The City Clerk shall publish a notice of City Council vacancy in a newspaper of local jurisdiction stating that the City Council of the City of Canyon Lake is seeking applications for appointment to fill a vacancy on the City Council. The notice shall state the length of the term to be filled, the deadline by which applications must be received, and the date by which an appointment must be made. The deadline for receiving applications shall be no later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
(c) The application may request the applicant provide such information as the City Council may desire, and amend from time to time, but shall include the age of the applicant, the address of the applicant's primary residence for the previous 30 days, whether applicant is a registered voter, and a certification from the applicant that all information contained in the application is true and correct.
(d) The Mayor shall appoint an ad hoc committee to review the applications. The committee shall have seven days from the deadline to receive applications to recommend the most qualified applicants to the City Council by submitting the recommendations to the City Manager.
(e) The Mayor shall call a special meeting of the City Council for consideration of appointing an applicant to fill the vacancy where the City Council may consider the recommendation of the ad hoc committee, if any, as well as any other applicant the City Council determines qualified. Once an applicant is appointed by majority vote of the City Council, the applicant shall immediately take the oath of office.
(f) The City Council may by resolution establish other processes for the appointment to vacant offices that are not inconsistent with this section.
(Ord. 184, passed 9-4-2019; Am. Ord. 185, passed 12-4-2019)