2 Former Council Members Tapped -- Pierce, Curtin Will Fill Bothell Vacancies

BOTHELL

Two former Bothell City Council members have returned to fill vacancies created by the resignations of Debbie Treen and Wendy Brady.

Pat Pierce, who served two terms as a councilwoman, and John Curtin, a councilman who was mayor twice, were appointed by the council Monday during a meeting that had been billed as a study session.

Treen, Bothell's appointed mayor, stepped down from the council June 7, while Brady, the deputy mayor, resigned June 3. Both councilwomen quit for job-related reasons.

At a retreat June 5, council members agreed to limit the number of candidates they would consider for the positions: The candidates would have to be former council members with no plans to run for office in November. After a brainstorming session, they came up with two possible candidates, Councilman Mike Noblet recalled.

Noblet said he added two other names later to bring the pool to four: Pierce, Curtin, Paul Cowles and Sue Kienast. Kienast said she wasn't interested.

During Monday's council meeting, the three candidates faced one-question interviews: Were they planning to run for election? The council then selected Pierce and Curtin, who were immediately sworn in.

"They wanted to fill the positions as quickly as they could to ensure that the public process could continue," City Manager Jim Thompson said. "I think there was good intent there."

Noblet said a large pool of candidates would have meant a longer selection process. The new council members will serve for five months, until the next election is validated the third week in November.

"There's a learning curve," Noblet added, saying the council wanted ready replacements who would spend their short term on such things as code amendments and preparing the 2000 budget - and not campaigning.

Curtin, 55, is program manager for Seattle Public Utilities.

"There's still a little fire in my belly," he said. "I think I can help."

Pierce, also 55, is a teacher at Woodmoor Elementary School.

"My concern is what's best for Bothell. And part of that is getting through the backlog of business," Pierce said. "I really look forward to clearing the agenda."

The council plans to select a council member Monday to serve as mayor.

Brian Kelly's phone message number is 206-515-5629. His e-mail address is bkelly@seattletimes.com