Council Seeks New Member By Appointment

The Plymouth City Council will be losing one member, but by Thanksgiving could have a new one.

 announced her resignation to the council via letter, which was accepted at a special meeting Sept. 6.

Murdock's resignation is effective Friday, Sept. 30. According to her letter, after nearly 33 years working for Hennepin County Murdock discovered that her retirement brings more than she bargained for.

"I was shocked when I talked with PERA in which I am on the same plan with council as with county, to learn Id' have to terminate all PERA employment to get my pension and retire from the county," Murdock said at the Sept. 6 meeting. "I'm not happy with this. I love the City Council and this has really been a great experience."

Per PERA's verification of termination, the agency requires a copy of the governing board's meeting minutes that show acceptance of her resignation. She posed every possible scenario from not contributing to PERA as a council member to stepping down for a month, but none of the options seemed to work out.

"It appears I must sever all strings," she said.

Murdock's term expires Dec. 31, 2014. She has been on the council nearly five years. The council decided it wants to appoint someone who would represent Ward 2 on the council for the next year until the 2012 election season.

Murdock's last meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 27. When she ran in 2010, Murdock ran unopposed in Ward 2.

The council vacancy will be officially declared at its regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13, and from there advertise for applications.

After discussion the council decided applications would be due within the first week of October. Those applications will be reviewed at a special meeting Tuesday, Oct. 11, and narrowed down to have only a few interviews of the finalists at a meeting Tuesday, Oct. 18. The appointment would be made sometime in November and announced at a regular meeting.

If the council doesn't appoint someone to the seat within 60 days the mayor appoints an eligible person to fill the vacancy.

Applicants would be asked for their contact information, employment and education information and be asked several questions.

Questions that have been proposed include, but aren't limited to the following:

1. List your elected and/or appointed civic experience you have had in Plymouth or elsewhere, including dates of participation and position held.

2. What specific strengths and abilities would you bring to the council?

3. How should the council encourage citizen involvement?

4. What is your overall philosophy of the appropriate function and responsibility of local government?

5. Briefly describe the strengths and weaknesses of Plymouth today.

6. Briefly describe Plymouth, as you believe it should be 10 years from now.

7. How do you deal with conflict?

8. What do you perceive as the major issues facing the city today?

9. Indicate how much you would meet the time commitment for this position.

10. Do you have any conflicts of interest you are aware of if appointed?

11. What specific concerns or issues would you like the city to address if you are appointed to this office?

12. If you are appointed to this position for a year, do you see yourself running for the seat in 2012?