New mayors appointed in Oakdale and Hughson. More appointments ahead
City councils in both Oakdale and Hughson this month appointed council members to fill mayoral seats left empty by resignations and will now have to appoint again to fill the empty council seats. But the two cities are taking different approaches.
Oakdale is accepting applications while Hughson appears poised to appoint based on a council member nomination.
George Carr, first elected to the Hughson City Council in 2010, was appointed mayor on Monday to fill the seat of Jeramy Young, who announced his resignation weeks after being reelected when he was offered a job as Livermore’s police chief.
Hughson Deputy City Clerk Ashton Gose said that after Carr’s selection during a meeting Monday, the council made plans to fill his council seat at the next meeting Jan. 25. She said no direction was given to advertise for the spot so it appears they might already have someone in mind.
Asked who might be nominated for the seat, Carr said in an email to The Bee, “I am not at liberty to provide a name for the vacant seat at this time. All I can say is there may be an interested party.”
Last week, the Oakdale City Council appointed council member Cherilyn Bairos to serve the remaining two years of the mayoral term of J.R. McCarty, who resigned in December because he moved out of the city limit. Bairos was first elected to the Oakdale City Council in 2014.
Her now-vacant council seat also has a remaining term of two years and the city is accepting applications to fill it.
Candidates must be 18 years of age, reside within the incorporated city limits of Oakdale, be registered to vote in the city, and not have been convicted of a felony, or misdemeanor relating to financial impropriety.
Completed applications must be returned by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.
Applicants may be invited for an oral interview before the council, according to a news release. The council will interview candidates separately and each applicant will have the opportunity to present their qualifications.
During a special meeting on Feb. 10 at 6 p.m., each invited applicant, in order by random drawing, will be asked to make a 3-minute presentation to the council. The applicant may then be asked to respond to questions by the council, according to the news release.
The council can make a decision at the special meeting or direct staff to place the matter on a future agenda for action.
Applications are available at the city clerk’s office at Oakdale City Hall, 280 N. Third Ave., and on the city’s website at www.oakdalegov.com.
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
