Columbus City Council begins accepting applications Tuesday to fill two seats that will be open due to the results of the November 6 elections. Jim Letizia reports.
The all-Democratic panel is looking for successors to council member Jaiza Page, who was elected as a Franklin County judge, and member Mike Stinziano, who was elected County Auditor. Page takes the bench in January. Stinziano starts in March.
In a news release, council says applicants must submit to the city clerk eight copies of a resume along with a 500-word essay describing the greatest challenges and opportunities facing Columbus. The deadline is noon on November 26. Members will conduct individual interviews with applicants between November 27 and December 6. They will submit the names of three finalists to the clerk by the end of the following day.
A public hearing on finalists for Page’s seat will be held January 10 with a sucessor chosen on the 14th. A public hearing on finalists for Stinziano’s seat will be held March 7, with a successor chosen on the 11th.
Earlier this year, Columbus voters approved adding a public meeting to the process frequently criticized for taking place too quickly and often in secret.
