How to resolve AdBlock issue? CLEARLAKE, Calif. – During a brief special meeting held Monday afternoon, the Clearlake City Council decided to begin taking applications to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of the mayor and selected its new leadership.
Last week, Mayor Nick Bennett announced he was resigning due to health reasons and moving to South Dakota, as Lake County News has reported.
That left the council with the need to fill his seat and determine its leadership for the rest of the year.
City Manager Alan Flora told the council on Monday afternoon that the purpose of the meeting was to determine the path forward.
He said the council had two options: Hold a special election for the seat which, based on state law, couldn’t take place before the primary on March, 3, 2020, or make an appointment.
Flora said an appointment must be made within 60 days, or by July 8.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson reported that she had asked the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office for a cost estimate for the March 2020 election option. She said that agency couldn’t give it, but based on past experience, Swanson estimated it would cost between $5,000 and $7,000.
Flora explained during the meeting that the costs for that special election would be lower because there would be shared costs for the March primary.
Councilman Phil Harris moved to pursue the appointment route, with Councilman Dirk Slooten seconding. The council approved the motion 4-0.
Flora then asked the council to clarify the dates for applications to be submitted and for a special meeting to select the new council member.
The council ultimately decided to accept applications through June 4, with a special meeting to take place on Thursday, June 6.
During Monday’s meeting, the council agreed to gather at 6 p.m. on June 6, but Flora told Lake County News later on Monday that the time will be 3 p.m. due to a conflict with the Lower Lake High School graduation.
Swanson said that if the city were to get more than 10 applications for the vacant seat, city guidelines call for an ad hoc committee of the vice mayor, planning commission chair and possibly one other council member to meet and review the applications and recommend up to three candidates for council interviews.
Flora said the council has the option of waiving that process if it wants to.
The council then moved on to decide on its new leadership.
Flora said they had the option of having Vice Mayor Russ Cremer continue in that job until the new member is appointed or they could select a new mayor and vice mayor.
Councilwoman Joyce Overton said she wanted to make the decision then, while Slooten suggested waiting until a new member is chosen.
Harris, who said he would not accept the vice mayor job, moved to appoint Cremer as mayor and Slooten as vice mayor. Overton seconded and the council gave the motion unanimous approval.
The city is now accepting applications for community members interested in serving the remainder of Bennett’s unexpired term, which ends in November 2020.
Applicants must be registered voters and residents of the city of Clearlake.
For further information contact City Clerk Melissa Swanson at 707-994-8201, Extension 106, or
Email Elizabeth Larson at
