Banks City Hall. Photo: Brenda Schaffer
BANKS – Banks City Councilor Teri Branstitre announced that her last council meeting would be in January 2019 due to a planned move to Hillsboro and the city currently is working out the details of the recruitment process for her replacement.
Branstitre had previously served as mayor of Banks for one term, elected in 2006, and as a city councilor prior to that.
The city charter says about elections under a section titled 35.04, Qualification of Elective Officials, “No person may fill an elective office of the city unless, at the same time of election or appointment, the person is a qualified elector of the state and has resided continuously in the city during the 12 months previous to the election or appointment.”
Additionally, the city council will be the final judge on who replaces Branstitre, the Banks City Charter says.
In this case, the council plans to discuss the recruitment process during the Tuesday, March 12 city council meeting.
Banks Mayor Pete declined to speak about the process, which is spelled out in the Banks City Charter on how the Banks City Council will undergo finding a replacement for Branstitre, who also declined to comment for this article.
The next Banks councilor will be appointed by the city council and not by general election, as is the case in many small town governments throughout Oregon.
The Banks City Manager Jolynn Becker said the city council plans to announce the recruitment process.
“We’ll probably advertise the opening after the city council meeting and at that point Mayor Edison will provide a discussion about the process with the city council tonight,” Becker said. The city councilors ultimately approve the appointment.
Anyone interested in applying to become the next Banks city councilor should contact city recorder Angie Lanter at [email protected].
