Essex council decides to call for applications for vacant council seat

Essex town council has decided to seek applications from town residents who want to fill a vacant council seat in Ward 3.

The vacancy was created when Coun. Steve Bjorkman moved into the Deputy Mayor's chair, after Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche was chosen by council to be the new mayor.

Themayoral seat wasvacated by former mayor Larry Snively, who resigned after pleading guiltyto an Ontario Elections Act violation.

• Essex Mayor Larry Snively resigns

The application period will likely extend from Feb.8-22. A public meeting would be held on Feb.28 where applicants could speak to council as delegates.

Council could then vote to choose a new councillor from that pool, and swear them in ifthey are in attendance. They would then attend their first council meeting on March 7.

Deputy Mayor Bjorkman was ready to appoint Rodney Hammond, whoran in Ward 3 in the last municipal election, garnering843 votes.

Bjorkmantold council the new councillor should live in Ward 3.

Coun. Sherry Bondy told council Hammond no longer lives in Ward 3. Hammond confirmed that with CBC News Monday night. He now lives in Harrow, in Ward 4.

He said he will put in an application.

"I understand the process and I accept it and so I will throwmy name in the hat," said Hammond, hoping councillors will still choose him despite not living in the ward.

"I'm familiar with both wards and I consider them equal," said Hammond, who has lived in Ward 3 before.

CouncillorsJoe Garon, Kim Verbeek and Chris Vander Doelen all agreed the councillor should live in Ward 3, but Coun. Morley Bowman, who made the motion to accept applications, left it open to all eligibleresidents of the town.

"It comes back to our council committee to vote, and we can certainly, at that time in our own minds, pick the people that live in Ward 3," said Bowman.

In the end, council voted 5 to 1 to choose the next councillor after accepting applications from the public. Notices will go out in newspapers, social media and on the town's website.