After deciding earlier this month to seek applicants for a vacant city council seat from among all past candidates that ran for council posts in previous elections, the Monday (Sept. 23) 5 p.m. deadline for filing paperwork for the post came and went with five people putting in their bids. All are hoping to fill the remainder of the term for the seat vacated by Dotty Nygard when she resigned unexpectedly due to moving from the area.

Information from the city indicates those that filed for the post include – listed alphabetically – Leanne Jones-Cruz, Larry King, Ric McGinnis, Anthony McKinney and Carlos Verduzco.

Nygard’s unexpired term runs through December, 2014.

A public session is scheduled in Riverbank on Thursday night, Sept. 26 for the current council to interview the five candidates, with the interviews beginning at 6 p.m. Only one of them, McGinnis, has served on the panel previously, first appointed in 2001 and then running for and winning a seat in 2002.

All the other candidates have been involved in more recent elections, seeking seats on the panel from 2010 on up to this past year.

The council is working on a timeline that allows them 60 days to fill Nygard’s post by appointment. After that, if no decision can be reached, the candidates would vie in a special election to fill the seat. Having gone that route once already this year – when they could not agree on filling the seat vacated by Richard O’Brien when he ran for and won the mayor’s post in November, the council wants to avoid another costly special vote. Based on the date Nygard submitted her resignation, the council has until Wednesday, Oct. 30, to fill the seat by appointment.