Applications are now open for Palmer's vacant city council seat

What you need to know:

• Palmer city officials are accepting applications to fill a vacant City Council seat, which opened after Council member Jim Cooper was elected mayor earlier this month. The appointee will serve until the next regular election in October 2026. Applications are open through Nov. 7.
• Cooper will select a replacement through an interview and appointment process. He said he is looking for candidates who prioritize the community over personal or political beliefs.
• This will be the second council appointment in less than a year. In April, then-Mayor Steve Carrington appointed Ken Erbey following the resignation of Council member Richard Best.

PALMER — Palmer city officials are looking for a resident to fill an empty seat on the City Council, offering an opportunity for someone to serve in local government without first running for office.

The spot became vacant earlier this month when Council member Jim Cooper won election as Palmer mayor.

City code requires the mayor to temporarily fill the seat through an interview and appointment process. The city council is not required to approve the selection.

The appointed individual will serve until the city’s regular election next October, at which point they may step down or run for the seat.

Cooper said he wants to appoint someone who prioritizes the community over personal beliefs. He said he is not seeking someone aligned with a particular political party or ideology.

“I’m looking for someone who has, I’ll call it, an open mind. Someone who is willing to put aside personal, religious and political beliefs and do what’s best for the community as a whole,” he said in an interview this week.

Cooper said he plans to announce his choice for the seat early next month. The seat must be filled within 45 days of vacancy, according to city code. 

To qualify, an individual must be a registered voter and live within Palmer city limits. Applications are available on the city’s website and can be dropped off at City Hall until 5 p.m. Nov. 7. An initial deadline of Oct. 31 was extended to allow time for more applicants, Cooper said in an interview.

Related: How to know if you live within city limits (and can vote in city elections)

The new member will be the second person appointed to the council in less than a year.

In late April, then-Mayor Steve Carrington appointed Ken Erbey to the council following the resignation of Council member Richard Best, who faced possible city sanctions related to a series of criminal charges.

Best pleaded guilty last year to refusing a chemical test after a 2023 traffic stop in downtown Palmer, according to court documents. A 2022 Anchorage case, in which police arrested Best on charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving, is still pending.

Erbey chose to leave the seat rather than run for election this month. Council member Sherry Carrington won the spot in a vote of 370 to 162 against Aundra “Omega” Jackson.

This story was updated Oct. 31 to reflect an extension for the application deadline.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com