38 apply for vacant Kent City Council position

It’s a good chance one of your neighbors might be among a lengthy list of applicants to replace Ken Sharp on the seven-member Kent City Council.

Thirty-eight people applied for the vacant position, according to a Friday email from City Clerk Ronald Moore. Sharp resigned last month after only two weeks in office because of pending first-degree theft charges, leaving the council one person short.

Former council members as well as several people who have run for the council and lost are among the applicants. The council will pick Sharp’s replacement on Feb. 25.

Bailey Stober, who lost to Sharp in the November election, submitted his name. Tim Clark, who served 16 years on the council and lost to incumbent Suzette Cooke in the mayor’s race last fall, also is on the list. Debbie Raplee and Jon Johnson are former council members who applied. Raplee ran as a write-in candidate against Sharp and Stober.

The council will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 to review the applications during an executive session and decide who they want to interview as finalists. Council President Dana Ralph said the council has no specific number as far as how many applicants will be interviewed.

The council will have another special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 to interview the finalists and then meet in executive session before voting on who shall be appointed.

Whoever is appointed to the position will begin their term with the appointment and end it when the November 2015 election is certified. The person appointed is eligible to run for the position in 2015.

The part-time position pays $13,752 per year. The application deadline was 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.

Fifteen people applied for a council vacancy in 2008 filled by Jamie (Danielson) Perry after the death of Councilman Bob O’Brien from cancer. The applicants included current council members Dennis Higgins and Ralph.

Federal Way had 20 applicants this month for a City Council vacancy.

Kent City Council applicants

(listed alphabetically by last name)

• Jed Aldridge

• Aaron J. Anderson

• Douglas M. Basler

• Christine Budell

• Dean Carlson

• Tim  Clark

• Daniel R. Cox

• Stephen F. Crowell

• Craig Dougherty

• Russell Edwards

• Brenda Fincher

• Ross Charles Hardy

• Elliot Heifetz

• Kevin Hellriegel

• Richard Herrick

• Tom Hough

• Jon Johnson

• Geoff Koepp

• Jeff Kulawiak

• Stephen C. Litster

• Andy Massagli

• Richard L. Mauser

• James Meeker

• Charles Myrick

• Jack Ottini

• Marina D. Peck

• Barbara Phillips

• Jeff Piecewicz

• Debbie Raplee

• Wade Schwartz

• Ted Schwarz

• Michael Sealfon

• Suzanne Smith

• Yvonne Steed

• Lauren Stephan

• Cheri Stewart

• Bailey Stober

• Sarah Veele