How Will Kirkland Councilman Bob Sternoff Be Replaced?

When Bob Sternoff resigned unexpectedly from the Kirkland City Council, it left the group a man down.

Tonight, April 2, at it's regular meeting, the remaining council members will discuss how to go about replacing him. In the past, council members have at various times taken nominations from the other members or taken applications from the public, City Manager Kurt Triplett said. They likely will follow one of those two precedents, which they must decide in open council.

The state does not proscribe a requirement for replacing Sternoff, but time is of the essence in several ways.

If the city fails to replace Sternoff within 90 days, the King County Council will step in and select someone. Perhaps more importantly, whoever is selected to fill Sternoff's seat will have to run for election this fall to win the Position 2 seat for the duration of Sternoff's term (until December, 2015). The candidate filing period for the upcoming elections is May 13-17.

City staff has proposed a fast-track schedule for filling the vacancy, should the council decide to take applications, which is outlined here.

The regular meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. after a 6 p.m. study session, and can be watched live on the City's Website.