After being postponed for nearly a month, Yelm City Councilors approved Mayor Joe DePinto’s appointments for five different city commissions or committees during a study session on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
By a 4-3 vote, with councilors Terry Kaminski, Brian Hess, Holly Smith and Joseph Richardson voting yes, DePinto’s appointments to the committees became official. Councilors Tracey Wood, Trevor Palmer and Joshua Crossman voted in opposition.
The appointments include David Johnstone and Ashley Brooks — Planning Commission; Steve Harshfield — Arts Commission; Sandi and Anne Wahrmund — Parks Advisory Committee; Nabeel Hameed and Angela Longnecker — Police Advisory Committee; Ashley Brooks — Homelessness Committee.
Prior to the vote, Hess said he supported the mayor’s appointments and said the prior opposition primarily centered on the lack of council inclusion in the process.
“I think we should approve this one knowing that in February, it’s going to be (brought up) in a study session. I think we should approve this so our city can conduct the business it’s supposed to be conducting,” Hess said. “I believe we should approve these individuals, but for future (appointments), we work with the new process that we come up with in February. “
Richardson thanked DePinto for the opportunity to discuss the appointment process in February while voicing his support of the mayor’s choices.
“Understanding the appointment policy and the way it’s handled, I think the mayor does understand how that works,” Richardson said. “I do feel like there was some catching up in speed that we might need to have, but I’m not saying we were misinformed. We know that was done well.”
After the council voted, DePinto said the Salary Commission still has a vacancy. He said this appointment would come later in the year.
“We’ll go ahead and still keep (the appointment process) on for February to discuss different procedures or policies that council wishes,” DePinto said. “If (council) wants to make any changes, we can do so after discussion in that February study session. Later on in February, we can go ahead and adopt that.”
Earlier in the meeting, the council appointed Crossman as Yelm’s mayor pro-tem, a two-year position. The mayor pro-tem is an elected councilor who serves as mayor in the elected mayor’s absence.
Councilor Smith nominated Crossman as mayor pro-tem, and the nomination was seconded by councilor Richardson. The motion passed 4-3, with Wood, Kaminski and Hess voting no.
