The process to fill the Peoria City Council seat vacated by new Mayor Rita Ali is underway, with a decision expected in a little more than a month.
The city has started accepting applications from interested residents, with a deadline set for 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The following day, all the candidates' submissions will be posted on the city's website to allow for transparency.
“One thing that the council really wanted to ensure was that the public had access to this information,” said city spokesperson Stacy Peterson. “This is a pretty visible at-large vacancy and they want to make sure that the public can be as informed as they want to be by making this information readily available to them.”
Candidates are asked to provide a cover letter, resume, and other supporting material for consideration. Peterson said a ranking system will be used to identify the finalists, heading into a closed discussion session during a special city council meeting on June 1.
“Council members will be asked to identify their top 3-5 candidates. They aren't going to determine if it's three or five yet, because we have to wait and see how many applications we actually get,” said Peterson. “The idea is to reach a consensus. But again, the method may vary depending on the number of applicants or the number of top candidates.”
Peoria’s website has a dedicated page with information about the vacancy, including a timeline for the process. Peterson said the council must appoint a replacement for Ali by the July 3.
“But they could certainly do that earlier if they wanted to,” she said. “They could even make that vote at the June 22 city council meeting, so it's possible that person could actually get seated just a little bit earlier.”
The vacant seat’s term runs through May 2, 2023. Candidates must be Peoria residents over 18, cannot owe the city any taxes or debts, and cannot have convictions for bribery, perjury, other felonies, or infamous crimes.
Applicants can submit their materials to administrative assistant Michelle King by mail, email (mking@peoriagov.org), or in person at City Hall weekdays between 8 a.m. and5 p.m.
