Council members will now appoint replacements for positions 2 and 7, which were vacated last month when Council Members Sandra Day and Dana Ziemer resigned
A simple majority of the Ridgefield City Council appointed Clyde Burkle to Position 7 on July 8, filling one of the two vacancies created by council resignations. However, Burkle changed his mind and declined the appointment.
Positions 2 and 7 were vacated last month when Council Members Sandra Day and Dana Ziemer resigned due to their plans to move out of Ridgefield. State law provides that in a vacancy City Council “shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacant position.”
Applications for appointment were opened on June 11 and closed at noon on June 25. In total, 10 eligible applications were received. The city clerk provided each council member with a notebook including all applications. Council members reviewed and rated each candidate to select four finalists to interview.
On Thursday (July 8), a special session for City Council appointment interviews was held. The four candidates selected for interview were Bambi Heup, Clyde Burkle, Judy Chipman, and Rachel Coker. Each council member had a chance to ask one question, and then with any remaining time members were free to ask any follow up questions.
Once the four interviews were finished, members of the council met in an executive session to discuss the qualifications of the candidates. Council then reconvened in a public session to deliberate and vote on the candidates.
Burkle has lived in Ridgefield for 17 years. He has served on the Civil Service Commission, Salary Commission, and Budget Review Board. He is a member of the Ridgefield Lions Club and helped found the Ridgefield Food Project (Green Bag Project). His favorite place to spend time is downtown Ridgefield, and he enjoys walking the waterfront trail to the Refuge, then back downtown along Main Ave. Prior to moving to Ridgefield, Burkle spent 42 years in management with the Kmart Corporation.
Burkle will be sworn in to City Council at the regular meeting on Thu., July 22. Council will then consider and appoint one of the other three finalists to Position 2. Both appointed council members will be required to sit for election in November 2023.
Information provided by city of Ridgefield.
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