Olympia received 43 individual applications for 21 open positions across the city's advisory boards and commissions, announced Strategic Communications Director Kellie Braseth.
She made the announcement at a Community Livability and Public Safety (CLPS) Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The vacancies are spread across several committees, with the Social Justice and Equity Commission (SJEC) having the most openings at five.
Braseth said the commission has expressed difficulty in meeting quorum with 11 members and has requested the CLPS consider reducing the number of members to nine.
The three committee members, Yen Huynh, Clark Gilman and Dontae Payne, approved the SJEC's request to decrease the number of members.
The change leaves three vacancies on the commission.
As part of the recruitment process, Braseth said, the committees with vacancies have reviewed the applications and shared recommendations of candidates to interview with the CLPS.
The CLPS has set March 10 and 12 to interview candidates. Braseth noted the city has been collecting committee-specific interview questions from the advisory bodies.
The chairs of the committees with vacancies have also been invited to participate in the interview process.
The CLPS also discussed ensuring advisory body members reside within Olympia city limits or urban growth areas. While the code allows for a majority of members to be local residents, the committee expressed a preference for prioritizing Olympia-based applicants.
However, they decided to interview a candidate for a committee who listed a Rochester address but will ask additional questions to understand the candidate's connection to the Olympia community and motivation for serving.
In total, the committee will be interviewing 36 candidates for the various advisory board vacancies.
Their recommendations will then be forwarded to the city council for final approval. The new members will be in place by April 1.
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