Tami Bryant takes an oath to fill Yacolt’s Council Position 3 during a regular city council meeting last week
A little over a month ago, two of Yacolt’s town government leaders resigned — Mayor Jeff Carothers and Position 3 Councilor Nancy Tester. Last week, two others holding positions resigned as well, Position 5 Councilor Jason Wallway and Mayor Pro Tem Vince Myers.
According to Wallway, scheduling conflicts between council duties and his job were becoming too difficult to juggle.
“Through much prayer I believe this is the right thing to do at this time,” Wallway said in a statement.
Myers cited potential conflicts of interest arising between his regular employment and duty as mayor pro tem for stepping down. He will go back to his prior role as Position 4 councilor.
In response of the vacancies, the new mayor pro tem is Position 1 Councilor Katie Listek. Filling in Tester’s open seat is Tami Bryant and taking Wallway’s open seat is Rhonda Rowe-Tice. Each were newly appointed to the council unanimously last week during a regular city council meeting.
Further complications include that Bryant is running unopposed for Position 2 in November, meaning she will eventually switch over to that seat this fall.
Positions 1, 3 and 4 are all also up for election in November and are each unopposed races for candidates Amy Boget (1), Malita Moselet (3) and Herbert Noble (4). As a result, Yacolt’s council will undergo extensive overhaul again later this year.
In the meantime, the interim mayor position is still yet to be filled. So far, only one application from Carl Barton has been received; however, when Barton learned the mayoral term doesn’t end until 2019, he withdrew. The mayor's position has been reopened for applications and can be found on the town website townofyacolt.com. Applications are due by Aug. 11 with interviews and appointment on Aug. 21.
