Why it matters
The appointee will hold a citywide seat until 2028, so a choice made in one night will shape Montrose representation for years longer than the 30-day scramble to fill it.
Woodden moves from citywide seat to District IV
Adam Woodden resigned his at-large seat, the council post representing residents citywide, on Monday, Oct. 5, and the Montrose City Council appointed him on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to the District IV seat left vacant by Dave Frank's resignation, according to the city.
The switch was tied to where Woodden lives. The city said Woodden lives in District IV, placing him in the district whose seat had opened when Frank resigned. Mayor Michael Badagliacco told KJCT the District IV seat had to go to someone who had lived in the district for the past 12 months, while the at-large seat is open to residents citywide.
Both seats expire in 2028, according to KJCT. The change therefore did more than move one nameplate. It kept District IV represented while shifting the vacancy to the one seat Montrose residents across the city could seek, subject to the city's rules.
City charter gives council 30 days to fill vacancy
The move opened a new at-large vacancy in Montrose, and the city charter, the city's own rulebook for filling council seats, requires the council to fill that vacancy within 30 days.
The city's announcement set two basic tests for applicants. They must have lived in Montrose for at least 12 consecutive months before appointment, and they must be eligible to register to vote.
An application and a letter of interest were due by 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Residents seeking details could reach the City Clerk's office at 970-240-1422 or at City Hall, 400 E. Main St., and the city's announcement linked to the application.
Interviews and appointment vote land on Nov. 2
The Montrose City Council will interview candidates at a work session on Monday, Nov. 2, and vote on an appointment at a regular meeting that evening.
The regular meeting was moved from Nov. 3 because of Election Day, putting the interviews and the decision on the same day. Candidates will face the council at the work session before members vote at the regular meeting that evening.
Whoever is appointed takes the at-large seat that expires in 2028, according to KJCT. That gives the Nov. 2 choice a term reaching well past the 30-day deadline that forced the quick search.
