The city of Banks finally found an applicant to fill an empty council seat vacated last year, swearing in Marilyn McCalister to fill Position CC6 at the beginning of the June 13 Banks City Council meeting.
For more than an hour, city council had a full roster of six councilors and the mayor, a feat not achieved since two councilors resigned during the spring of 2022.
“It was wonderful to have a full council,” Banks Mayor Stephanie Jones said in her message in the city’s July newsletter. “Then at the end of the meeting Councilor Jeff Thompson gave his resignation.”
Thompson, elected in 2020, said his health was deteriorating.
“There has not been any improvements for me health-wise,” Thompson said, announcing his resignation toward the end of the meeting.
In an interview with the Banks Post in 2020, Thompson said he has a condition called Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency disorder, an inherited disorder that can cause lung disease and liver disease, according to the U.S. National Library of medicine.
For Thompson, the condition has led to liver issues and fibromyalgia, and on top of that, a past workplace injury led to a damaged lower back, which worsened his other conditions due to his limited mobility.
“It’s still a continued fight with the infection in my left lung,” he said during his resignation.
After his announcement, the mayor and several councilors thanked him for his time serving the city of Banks.
“He served to the best of his ability, asking thoughtful questions, and giving insight from his career background,” Jones said in a statement. “Everyone on Council wishes Jeff the best.”
In July, the council voted to seek a replacement to fill the remainder of his term, which runs through the end of 2024.
To be eligible for the position, applicants must be a registered voter and live within the Banks city limits for the past 12 months.
Interested applicants were asked to schedule an appointment to pick up application materials with City Manager Jolynn Becker at 503-324-5112 or by email at [email protected].
The position will remain open until it is filled.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
