SYRACUSE -- Former Councilman Alan Clark, a former mayor of an adjacent city, and a man who lost by just one vote in his bid to win a council seat in November, headline a field of 14 candidates who have filed for an open seat on the city council.
Matt Kimmel submitted his resignation from the council earlier this month, and city officials set a Feb. 21 deadline for letters of interest from those who would like to fill the seat.
Fourteen have shown interest in the seat, according to City Recorder Cassie Brown. The response covers a vast array of people and experience.
Clark, who lost in November a bid to win his third seat on the council, is among the 14, as is former council candidate Daniel Schuler, who lost by just one vote in his bid for a council seat in November.
Former Clearfield Mayor Tom Waggoner also is among the field. He served two terms in Clearfield and moved to Syracuse after leaving office.
Two members of the city's planning commission, Gary Pratt and TJ Jensen, also have filed for the seat. Commission alternate Curt McCuiston is also among the field.
Other candidates are James Ackerman, Richard Denning, Brian Duncan, Joe Levi, Allen Lowry, Randy Miller, Tom Price and Jeremiah Zohner.
Council members briefly touched on procedures for filling the opening during a work session earlier this month.
The council is expected to conduct interviews with the candidates in closed session Tuesday, and then reconvene in open session to vote on a new member.
Mayor Jamie Nagle said each candidate will be given three minutes in closed session.
She said there will be other items on the meeting agenda, besides the council replacement.
Kimmel resigned from office after getting a new job out of state.
In his resignation letter, Kimmel said it has been an honor to serve as a council member and to defend the Constitution of the state of Utah and the United States.
Kimmel leaves office at the same time he faces a class A misdemeanor charge for the allegation that he used his position to secure privileges, for his involvement in a land purchase for the North Davis Sewer District Board.
He was a member of the board at the time and was in line to receive a $3,000 finder's fee, which he said he would have declined.
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