Henderson to appoint council replacement for Debra March

Henderson Ward 2 City Councilwoman Debra March during a Regional Transportation Commission board meeting at the Clark County Commission Chambers on Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Las Vegas. March will be sworn-in as mayor June 20. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Henderson Ward 2 City Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Debra March makes a speech at her watch party after early polling results put her in the lead at the Henderson Convention Center in Henderson on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. (Miranda Alam/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @miranda_alam

The Henderson City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to open the application process to those interested in the Ward 2 council seat, which will be vacant when Debra March becomes mayor next month.

March, a member of the council since 2009, will be sworn-in as mayor June 20.

Appointing a replacement will cost the city $165, whereas a special election would cost between $365,000 and $509,000, City Clerk Sabrina Mercadante said.

“Having an appointment by application is so convenient. It’s shamefully transparent,” resident Crystal Hendrickson said during the meeting. “Why don’t you ask the community to elect their representatives?”

The appointment process would name the fourth person — along with March, Marz and Dan Stewart — to the council.

“Right now we’re doing more with less, and I’d rather use the money to fund much-needed city services,” March said.

The Henderson City Council Ward II term expires June 2019.

The council will look through the applications individually and each council member will choose two top applicants. Finalists then will be required to provide a three-minute statement at a special meeting June 15.

Those interested in serving on the council can apply from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 22 through 25. Applicants must be a Henderson resident for at least year and a Ward 2 resident for at least 30 days.

The deadline to fill the vacancy is Aug. 19.

Contact Sandy Lopez at slopez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686. Follow @JournalismSandy on Twitter.