Yelm City Councilor Holly Smith is vacating her seat nearly three years after being initially appointed to the position.
Smith was appointed to her Position No. 4 seat in May of 2021 and was elected to the same council position in August of 2021.
To the surprise of some of her fellow councilors, Smith announced she was stepping down during a Yelm City Council study session on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
“I’m moving,” Smith said. “I’m moving out of state. Feb. 14 will be my last day as a council member. … This was not an easy decision, but life changes. I have a good opportunity to move and be closer to my daughter.”
Immediately following Smith’s announcement, Mayor Joe DePinto thanked her for serving the city.
“Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new endeavors and for your service in this community,” DePinto said. “You’ve done a great job over the years. Thank you.”
Smith’s announcement sparked a discussion among councilors on whether or not to continue the appointment process through ranked-choice voting, or if they should change the procedure altogether.
“I would suggest having a voting system like everything else, just like the way people are voted in — ordinary voting,” Councilor Joshua Crossman said. “I don’t want to drag this out for three months.”
An official discussion on how to carry out the appointment process was expected to take place at the Yelm City Council meeting on Feb. 13. Councilors will also consider a timeline for candidate interviews and for the appointment itself.
