After announcing her resignation from the Arcata City Council last month, Vice Mayor Emily Grace Goldstein officially stepped down today. As such, during tomorrow’s council meeting, the remaining councilmembers will consider electing a new vice mayor and reassigning Goldstein’s various liaison appointments.

Per the council’s usual annual rotation method, Councilmember Sarah Schaefer will most likely be selected as the new vice mayor, as she is the councilmember who has served the longest without having served as vice mayor before. However, the council is not required to follow the rotation method and can technically elect any councilmember to serve in the role. There is also the possibility that, for some reason, Schaefer will decline the vice mayor position. But both of those scenarios seem pretty unlikely here.

The council will also be tasked with reassigning the liaison roles held by Goldstein. According to the staff report, Goldstein served as liaison to the Humboldt Transit Authority, The Humboldt-Del Norte Hazardous Materials Response Joint Powers Authority and the Homelessness and Housing Working Group. She was also an alternate liaison to the Humboldt Waste Management Authority, Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, Arcata House Partnership, Arcata/Camoapa Sister City Committee, Cooperation Humboldt—Board Report Meetings (and CUNA), and Equity Arcata Advisory Team.

However, the staff report states, because a new Arcata councilmember will be elected in June and sworn in by July,  it is not imperative that the council assign all these roles now. Staff recommends that the council review the liaison roles and assign any that they feel concerned about having meeting coverage during the interim period.

And speaking of electing a new Arcata councilmember, we remind you that Arcata residents will be tasked with voting in a new one during the primary election on June 7. The deadline to submit nomination papers is March 11 and Arcata City Clerk Bridget Dory told the Outpost that no one has filed their papers so far. Dory said that four possible candidates have taken out nomination papers. They are: Gregory Daggett, Chase Marcum, Edith Rosen and Kimberley White (who serves on the Arcata Planning Commission and ran for council in 2020).

If you are interested in running for Arcata City Council, you can pick up the nomination papers at Arcata City Hall – 736 F Street. To qualify you must be at least 18 years old, live within Arcata city limits and be registered to vote at your Arcata residence address. Nominees must also obtain at least 20, but no more than 30, signatures of registered voters who reside within Arcata city limits. Easy, right? 

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The council will also receive an update on the Local Coastal Program (LCP), which will help guide development in Arcata’s coastal zone in the coming years. The City’s current LCP includes the  Local Coastal Element of the City’s General Plan, which was adopted in 1989, and the Land Use and Development Guide, which was adopted 1998. The city has been working for the last few years to update these plans and staff is recommending that they be adopted sometime this year.

The council won’t be taking any action on the LCP during this meeting, but will provide staff with direction, if necessary. You can review the City’s draft Local Coastal Element here.

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The Arcata City Council meets on Wednesday, Mar. 2 at 6 p.m. Meetings are now being held in a hybrid fashion and you can attend either in-person at City Hall – 736 F Street – or can attend virtually, if that’s more comfortable for you. You can view the full agenda and directions on how to participate here.