Skip to content

Councilmember Scott Moore is resigning—now what?

Councilmember Scott Moore, who holds Position 2 and was up for re-election this November, announced his intention to resign during a city council meeting last month. 

Councilmember Moore played an instrumental role in pushing for the passage of Prop 1, the attempt to take away voters’ right to elect their mayor. He also appeared to have attempted to prevent Mayor Klaas from producing a public document detailing the cost of changing our existing form of government by filing a PDC complaint against her. The PDC later exonerated the Mayor. 

Due to his resignation before completing his four-year term, the City Council will appoint a replacement who will hold the seat until the certification of the 2023 election. The appointed individual may declare themselves a candidate during the May 15-19 filing period open to all candidates who wish to seek election to the position.

State law (RCW 42.12.070) gives the city a time limit of 90 days to make an appointment before authority is given to the County Council. The City Council has the authority to decide the processes and procedures for determining who should be appointed to the council.

Clyde Hill Council Rules have outlined the process in section 1.7. It states:

The council will approve an application form including set questions posed by council and the specific interview process. The application form will be used in conjunction with an interview of each candidate to aid the council’s selection of the new council member.

As far as the interview process is concerned, it states:

Where practical, all candidates who submit an application by the deadline will be interviewed by the council during a regular or special council meeting.

And finally, to make a selection, it states:

The council may recess into executive session to discuss the qualifications of all candidates. Interviews of candidates may be conducted in an open public meeting. Nominations, voting and selection of a person to fill a vacancy will be conducted during an open public meeting.

It’s important to note that the rules provide the council with a significant amount of discretion and that the council can change the council rules at any time.

In addition to Council Position 2, two other positions will be on the ballot: Mayor and Council Position 4. 

Mayor Marianne Klass said she isn’t running for re-election because, as she put it, “I do not wish to endure [the City Council’s] personal and professional attacks for another term.”

Council Position 4 is held by Bruce Jones. He has not said publicly whether or not he is running for another term.

If you’re interested in running for any of these positions, you can read more here and contact the Clyde Hill Coalition at [email protected], and we can help. Filing week begins May 15 and ends May 19.

Recent News
City Budget Approved, New Council Member Appointed, Leaf Blower Debate

Contentious Budget Vote In late December, the Clyde Hill City Council voted on the budget, passing it narrowly with a 3-2 margin. Councilmembers Hachamovitch and Slivka dissented, advocating for reducing city staff, while others suggested a gradual approach to deficit reduction. The City maintains balances over $11 million, generating approximately 4% in interest, which could …

Opening on Clyde Hill City Council, Key Budget Vote Delayed

City Council Seat Opens Clyde Hill residents are invited to apply for a vacancy on the City Council following the announcement of Councilmember Muromoto’s departure. This presents an opportunity for community members to serve and contribute to local governance. The deadline is January 3rd. Apply here. Volunteer Opportunities In addition to the council opening, the city …

Critical Clyde Hill City Council Budget Meeting 

The Clyde Hill City Council will be holding an important budget meeting tomorrow, November 12th at 6:00 PM. This is the first of two public hearings on the city’s budget, and with our current budget deficit, it’s a critical opportunity to engage in discussions about potential tax increases and spending cuts. You can join online/call-in or in …

Stay in the know with our newsletter.