Process for replacing Marsh not yet set - News - DailyTidings.com - Ashland, OR

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2016-11-19

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Process for replacing Marsh not yet set Pam Marsh Thursday Nov 17, 2016 at 8:02 PM Nov 17, 2016 at 8:02 PM By Julie Akins For the Tidings The search is on for a new Ashland City Council member now that Pam Marsh is moving on to Peter Buckley’s old seat in the state house as a representative for District Five. However, the process of selecting her successor is not entirely clear. “We don’t have precedence for this,” said Mayor John Stromberg. “She actually replaced David Chapman who resigned in 2012. At that time we had a list of possible candidates, created a short list and everyone agreed that she was the clear choice.” But Stromberg was careful to say it’s not known if that will be the process in this instance, saying “The council has not decided that yet.” Stromberg said they will be looking for a qualified team player who can get things done in a collaborative way. But at this point he indicated the field is wide open for Marsh’s successor. There are six councilors and the mayor, who runs the meeting but who only votes in case of a tie. The council can operate with five councilors until a new councilor is chosen. Marsh is expected to continue in her role on the Ashland City Council through the month of December until sworn into her new position in early January. She has been out of the country for the past week, meaning she missed the most recent council study session on Monday and business meeting on Tuesday, but is due to return to Ashland on Monday. She has resigned her position as executive director at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank, effective Dec. 20. The search for a replacement for her in that position is underway.  Marsh was named to the council as an appointee in 2012 and won election in her own right in November 2014. Marsh has lived in Southern Oregon since 1994 when she moved with her family to the Ashland area from Palo Alto, California. Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/@julieakins.