The City Council has approved appointments to the Ethics Board as well as the Civil Service Commission, which had been left vacant since its three commissioners resigned in October.
The CSC is now filled with island residents William Foster, Robert Killian, Steve Lakich, Lynda McMaken and Bruce Weiland.
McMaken and Weiland are both local attorneys with experience on a number of island committees and boards. Foster works at the Seattle City Attorney’s Office and has served on the boards of the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and Bainbridge Island Childcare.
Lakich’s experience is based in labor relations. Killian’s background is in law enforcement and includes his work as a civilian police officer, fraud investigator and as a former US Naval Intelligence veteran.
After the CSC had been left without commissioners in October, the council passed an ordinance restructuring its form. The residency requirement that stipulated commissioners be residents of the city for at least three years was removed. The commission was also expanded from three commissioners to five.
“They basically couldn’t walk out of the room and talk about what they had just discussed,” Council Member Kirsten Hytopoulos said. “By having five, two people could discuss an issue, or call someone and ask a question, without violating the Open Public Meetings Act. So it just makes more sense.”
A total of 11 people applied to volunteer on the CSC; five were ultimately selected by a random panel of city council members that included Hilary Franz, Kirsten Hytopoulos and Barry Peters. The council members interviewed each applicant before whittling the list down to those confirmed Wednesday.
Robert Killian was on the Ethics Board but has stepped down in order to make a move to the CSC. Stepping down from the ethics board was a requirement of his commission appointment.
Killian benefited from the changes to the CSC. With experience in the police field, he had attempted to volunteer on the commission shortly after moving to the island, but was unable to as he did not fit the three-year residency requirement.
“I left my name in the volunteer pool and the ethics board came up, and I volunteered for that,” Killian said of his volunteer work, further noting that his prior experience has drawn him to police issues. “Just because of my background having been a police officer.”
As Killian leaves, the Ethics Board welcomes three appointments — Joe Honick, Erin Thomasson, and Susan Buckles who had already served a term on the Ethics Board and was reappointed for another term.
Honick’s experience is weighted in media and communications, specializing in government, and has been a published writer and radio commentator. Thomasson comes from the corporate world working for Expeditors International of Washington.
Council Members Kim Brackett, Bill Knobloch and Debbi Lester were on the panel charged with interviewing applicants and selecting the final three appointees.
“What we came up with is some very well qualified people,” Knobloch said. “They are playing a very important role in how their government operates.”
Seven residents applied for the Ethics Board, but only six were interviewed — one applicant was unable to meet for the interview process.
