The Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a resolution on Wednesday night which lays out the timeline to fill a vacant seat.

This vacant seat came after Matt Czajkowski’s recent resignation from the council.

“The first item on the agenda is one required by our town charter and code of ordinances,” said Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt at Wednesday’s meeting. “It is my duty to declare, there is a vacancy on the council. There I did that.”

Kleinschmidt came up with the schedule, which sets April 22 as the deadline for submitting applications for the position.

“I think the council could fairly reach the conclusion that they don’t need to appoint anyone,” said  Czajkowski in an interview with WCHL .

Council Member Jim Ward reflected this sentiment at the meeting.

“As I thought about how to move forward with that vacancy, my conclusion was that we’d be better off to not fill it,” said Ward.

Ward said the new member would be coming near the end of a session of complicated discussions and critical votes. The council, Ward said, should fill the seat in November’s election.

Ward said the new member would not be adequately informed on the issues. He also argued that the appointee, after serving the remainder of Czajkowski’s term, would have an unfair advantage as an incumbent in the November 2015 election if he or she chooses to run.

Mayor Kleinschmidt replied that town code requires the council to set a deadline to receive applications for the vacant seat. But the council doesn’t have to select anyone.

“When the council has the opportunity to fill the appointment, there may not be five votes to appoint anybody,” said Kleinschmidt.

Matt Czajkowski announced his resignation from the council in late February. Czajkowski said he and his wife will move to Kigali, Rwanda, to work for a non-profit to promote clean drinking water and economic development.

After the April 22 submission deadline, the council will review applications and make nominations. Applicants will be invited to make comments at a 6 pm special meeting before the council’s business meeting on April 27.

In Kleinschmidt’s proposed schedule, the council would consider making an appointment on May 4. If the council appoints someone to the seat, the new member would be sworn in on May 11.

You can email comments and questions to the mayor and council here: mayorandcouncil@townofchapelhill.org

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