A significant shake-up of the Enumclaw City Council is well under way.

Soon to exit city government is Mayor Liz Reynolds, who opted against seeking another term after eight years in the city’s highest office. Already off the City Council is Jan Molinaro, who was elected to fill the mayoral post during the Nov. 7 general election and has stepped away from council.

Also departing the council are Steve Cadematori, Anthony Wright and Juanita Carstens.

Here’s how the municipal comings-and-goings came to be.

During the Nov. 27 session of the council, mayor-elect Molinaro resigned his Position 6 seat, giving his fellow councilmembers extra time to consider a replacement while also speeding up the entire process.

Things are a bit more complicated on the council scene.

Nov. 27 marked the final meetings for Cadematori and Wright. Each had been appointed to fill vacancies during 2017 – Cadematori on March 27 and Wright on April 24 – and both were defeated during the Nov. 7 general election. Because they were appointed, their terms do not run through the end of the calendar year. Instead, their successors will be sworn into office during the next council meeting, set for Dec. 11.

Filling the Position 1 seat will be Tony Binion and stepping into Position 3 will be Kael Johnson.

Changing the collective face of the council even more is the coming departure of Carstens. Because she was elected, not appointed, her time in Position 5 runs through the final day of December. Elected in November was Kyle Jacobson, who will enter office with the coming of 2018.

Due to the shuffling of seats and changes in city leadership, the council conducted all its important late-in-the-year business during the Nov. 27 meeting. Typically, annual operating budgets are adopted during the first council meeting of December but everything was pushed ahead two weeks this year.

With than in mind, Molinaro resigned his council post at the close of the Nov. 27 meeting. Getting a head start on the application process, he said, could see a full council seated by early 2018.

Wright noted that “six to eight” people have already expressed an interest in filling the Position 6 vacancy. His motion to initiate the application process was unanimously approved.

WANT TO BE ON THE COUNCIL?

Applications are now being taken to fill the council vacancy and the process is explained on both the city’s website (ci.enumclaw.wa.us) and in an ad in the “legals” section of this newspaper.

The person appointed to the post will serve through the end of 2019.

Candidates can reside anywhere within the Enumclaw city limits; all council positions are “at large” and without specific districts. It is required that a candidate be a city resident for at least 12 months.

Candidates are required to submit a one-page letter of interest and a resumé to City Clerk Maureen Burwell, either by email (mburwell@ci.enumclaw.wa.us) or by mail to: City of Enumclaw, attn. City Clerk, 1339 Griffin Ave., Enumclaw, 98022.

A first review of applications will take place Dec. 11 and the deadline for all applications is 5 p.m. Dec. 21.

Questions about the appointment process can be directed to Burwell, either by email or by calling 360-615-5608.