Cassidi Shoaf. (File photo)
The Washington County Republican Party is still working on choosing a replacement for an open Marietta City Council seat.
At-Large Councilwoman Cassidi Shoaf left her seat earlier this month and the Washington County Republican Party will be the ones who will choose who will fill the vacant seat for the rest of Shoaf’s term.
Shoaf’s last day was July 13 and her last council meeting was a July 11 special council meeting. She previously told The Times she was leaving her position because she is moving to Ritchie County, W.Va., with her three children for personal reasons.
Shoaf started her first term in January 2018 and had started her newest term in January, leaving less than halfway through her current term.
Shoaf previously told The Times her replacement will be appointed by the Washington County Republican Central Committee in the same type of process by which Ward 4 Councilwoman Erin O’Neill was appointed by the Washington County Democratic Party to fill the seat left empty when Geoff Schenkel became the city’s development director.
According to Washington County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman James Vuksic, members of the central committee who represent Marietta wards will vote for Shoaf’s replacement. Some of the Marietta Central Committee positions are not currently filled.
“We haven’t picked anyone yet,” Vuksic said Monday about the progress of choosing Shoaf’s replacement.
He also said they have not picked a date by which they are planning to pick Shoaf’s replacement.
According to Washington County Board of Elections Director Mandi Amos, Shoaf’s seat must be filled within five to 45 days after it became vacant and the vacancy date is probably considered the day after Shoaf’s last day as a council member.
City Council President Susan Vessels said during a July 18 council meeting that Shoaf’s replacement must be appointed by Aug. 26.
Vuksic said the Central Committee is still receiving applications for people who want to fill the open seat and they will need to conduct interviews of the candidates. He also said that there are two interested parties right now, and he declined to identify them.
“This is politics,” Vuksic said about not identifying the parties, and he wants “everybody to have equal footing.”
In mid-July Vuksic told The Times that one person had expressed interest in the seat and it was Jon Grimm.
“We’ll fill that seat with a good candidate,” Vuksic said.
