Politics & Government

Finalists Selected for Open Council Seat

A list of 31 applicants was pared down to six Monday night by St. Clair Shores' mayor and City Council for the open seat on the elected body.

Six residents were selected Monday by the St. Clair Shores City Council as finalists for the on the elected body.

The opening is for the remaining two years on the term of newly elected Mayor Kip Walby's now-vacant council seat. Finalists selected by the current members of council include a mix of past candidates, volunteers and political newcomers.

"We attempted to do our due diligence ... we had a lot of qualified applicants," Walby said.

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The finalists selected are John Burtch, John Caron, Jack Downey, Bradley Kress, Nathan Kaczmarek and Kevin Tuczek. Burtch and Downey ran for open council seats in the recent election. Kaczmarek lost to Walby in the November election.

Each of the finalists selected will make a six-minute presentation to the mayor and council during an open meeting at 9 a.m. on Dec. 17.

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoreswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The process to narrow the list from 31 to six was administered by City Clerk Mary Kotowski. Each member of council, and the mayor, nominated three applicants. Those who received two or more nominations were invited to present.

The intent by nominating the applicants was to make it as fair as possible, Walby said.

Each of the council members discussed the quality of the applicants, their efforts to contact each person and the extent to which they researched the candidates–including checking on their voting records.

"Voting isn't a requirement, but it does demonstrate that a person is informed and willing to go through some bother to participate in government," Councilman Chris Vitale said.

"A vote for someone isn't a vote against other people," said Councilwoman Candice Rusie, who urged all applicants to continue to be involved in the city. "We have to choose three in the process, and it is a tough, tough decision.

A decision on who will fill the seat will be announced at the Dec. 19 City Council meeting.


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