If you would like to be considered for the vacant position on the the five-member council, please review the "Policy to Fill Vacancy on City Council" below.

Application packets are due to the City Clerk at Pelham City Hall no later than Friday, January 27, 2012 at 5 pm. 

All candidates must be Pelham residents, registered voters and at least 18 years old.

CITY OF PELHAM

Policy to Fill Vacancy on City Council

1.0             Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to the City Council when a Pelham council position becomes vacant before the expiration of the official's elected term of office. Pursuant to state law, a vacancy shall be filled only to serve the remainder of the unexpired term until the next regular municipal election.

2.0 Organizations Affected

City Council

3.0 Appointment Process

A council position shall be officially declared vacant upon the occurrence of any of the following causes: resignation, recall, forfeiture, written intent to resign, or death of a council member. The vacant council position shall be filled pursuant to Sections 11-43A-16 and 11-44G-1, Code of Alabama 1975. The council member who is vacating the position cannot participate in the appointment process.

City Council shall direct staff to begin the council member appointment process and establish an interview and appointment schedule so that the position is filled at the earliest opportunity.

3.1 Receive Applications*:

Call for interested, qualified Pelham residents to submit the following documents to the city clerk no later than Friday, January 27, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. (Attachment 1)

1.     Letter of interest expressing why the council should select the applicant.

2.     A list of three references who can attest to the applicantís worthiness for the position. (References should not include current council members or the mayor).

3.     A one-page resume highlighting community service contributions to the City of Pelham.

*Anyone who has already submitted a resume per the Mayorís announcement will be asked to supplement their application with a letter of interest and references.

Applications received by the deadline date and time will be copied and circulated by the City Clerk's Office to the mayor and city council. Packets may also contain additional information received such as endorsements, letters of reference and other pertinent materials.

The City Clerk's Office shall notify applicants of the location, date and time of city council interviews.

3.2 Screen Applicants for Interviews:

The council members will receive the application packet with an evaluation score sheet indicating their preference of candidates to proceed to the public interviews. (Attachment 2)

The screening will prioritize candidates who have three or more tallies for the interview stage.  If there is not a pool of 5, candidates who have 2 or more tallies will be considered for the interviews.

3.3 Public Interviews:

The council will hold public interviews Monday, February 13, 2012 beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The candidate pool will be sequestered while each is interviewed publicly to ensure they do not hear each otherís responses prior to their interviews.  The candidates will all be asked the same series of questions.  Each council member will submit three questions to be compiled for the question series.  (Attachment 3)

Each interview of an applicant/candidate shall be no more than 30 minutes in length as follows:

• The applicant shall present their credentials to the city council (10 minutes).
• The city council shall ask the predetermined set of questions, which must be responded to by the applicant. Each applicant will be asked and will answer the same set of questions and will have two (2) minutes to answer each question (14 minutes).
• An informal question and answer period in which council members may ask and receive answers to follow-up questions (10 minutes).

The applicant's order of appearance will be determined by a random lot drawing performed by the city clerk.

The Council may reduce the 30-minute interview time if the number of applicants exceeds six candidates, or alternatively, the Council may elect not to interview all of the applicants if the number exceeds six candidates. The decision as to which applicants to interview will be based on the information contained in the application forms at the sole authority of the city council.

4.0 Voting

Upon completion of the interviews, council members may convene into executive session to discuss the qualifications of the applicants; however, all interviews, nominations and votes taken by the Council shall be in open public session.

The new councilmember shall be chosen according to Roberts Rules of Order.

Vacancies in the City Council shall be filled by a majority vote (3) of the members of the City Council. Such appointee shall hold office only until the next regular general election. Balloting will continue until a nominee receives a majority of three (3) votes.

At anytime during the balloting process, the city council may postpone balloting until a date certain or regular meeting if a majority vote has not been received.

Nothing in this policy shall prevent the city council from reconvening into executive session to further discuss the applicant/candidate qualifications.

The anticipated vote for filling the council vacancy is Monday, February 20, 2012.

The Council President shall declare the nominee receiving the majority vote as the new council member and shall be sworn into office by the city clerk at the earliest opportunity, or no later than the next regularly scheduled city council meeting.