UPDATE: Carolyn Hardy was appointed to the Carmel City Council by a unanimous vote.

The City of Carmel-By-The-Sea will hold a special council meeting Wednesday, June to consider the recommendation by the Ad Hoc City Council Vacancy Committee to appoint a member of the public to fill the current vacancy on the City Council.

The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea held its General Municipal Election on April 12, 2016. Steve Dallas was elected Mayor, replacing Jason Burnett – who resigned – and Dallas vacated his seat as a Councilmember, creating a vacancy on the City Council.

The City Council, at its regular meeting on May 3, 2016, considered the process to undertake for filling the vacancy and decided unanimously to fill the vacancy by appointment. The Council requested applications from residents interested in serving on the City Council which were accepted through May 20, 2016. The Council also appointed an Ad Hoc City Council Vacancy Interview Committee consisting of Mayor Dallas and Mayor Pro Tem Theis. There were 11 applications for the vacant seat on the City Council. The ad hoc committee met and interviewed all 11) applicants for the Council vacancy over May 24, 25 and 26, 2016. Each interview lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Concurrently the ad hoc committee also interviewed applicants for vacancies on the Harrison Memorial Library Board of Trustees, Planning Commission, Historic Resources Board, and Community Activities and Cultural Commission. In some cases those who applied to be considered for the Council vacancy also applied to be considered to fill vacancies on the boards and commissions.

The applicants for the Council vacancy were (in alphabetical order): Jeffrey Baron, Martha Daly, Dixie Dixon, Carolyn Hardy, Donna Jett, Richard Kreitman, Dave Mosley, Robert Profeta, David Spaur ,  Chris Tescher, LaNette Zimmerman

Each applicant was asked a robust series of question developed by the Ad Hoc Committee to identify an ideal candidate who:

• Compliments the expertise of the existing City Council
• Possesses the ability to work positively, effectively and collaboratively to meet goals andobjectives
• Is a team player who can represent a broad cross section of the community
• Has demonstrated past commitment to public service to the community
• Possesses institutional knowledge of the City and Council, an appreciation for the character of the village and its unique challenges, and a willingness to look to the future

According to the staff report, “All applicants demonstrated a strong commitment to service and a desire to serve the Carmel-by-the-Sea community. The ad hoc committee was appreciative of all community members of diverse backgrounds and exceptional skill sets, who filled out an application and participated in the interview process.”

After rigorous deliberation the ad hoc committee has identified Carolyn Hardy as the applicant most uniquely qualified to fill the Council vacancy. Ms. Hardy is a full-time resident and has been a community member in Carmel-by-the-Sea for 30 years. Her professional background is comprised of legal, accounting and design experience.

Ms. Hardy has served on the Community Activities and Cultural Commission, Sunset Cultural Center, Inc., Carmel Residents Association, and Carmel Public Library Foundation. While serving on the Community Activities and Cultural Commission she campaigned as a candidate for Carmel City Council, and, though unsuccessful in her candidacy, experienced the rigors of campaigning and the demanding nature of the election process. Her application can be found at http://goo.gl/BjS7MB.

Staff report continues: “Because of her proven critical thinking skills, institutional knowledge, and understanding of Carmel’s strong commitment to maintaining its distinctive traditions, many previous Mayors have requested Ms. Hardy’s participation in the civic process. She has participated on interview panels for various City employees and contract services, and ad hoc committees, including the Forest Theater Renovation Committee, Forest Theater RFP Committee, and Special Events and Fee Waivers Policy Ad Hoc Committee. During the City’s most recent crisis, Ms. Hardy spent countless hours reviewing consultant contract costs and investigator invoices and collating the data into a coherent spreadsheet analysis for consideration by the Council. Her commitment to serving the village has been well demonstrated by her regular attendance and participation at City Council meetings, and her continued willingness to volunteer her time to support the City.”