The process to fill the vacancy on the council left by the resignation of First Ward Great Bend City Councilman Edwin Roberts was set in motion during the council meeting Monday night.
Mayor Mike Allison announced that applications to fill the opening will be accepted at the City Office through Feb. 16. After that, a committee consisting of Allison, First Ward Councilwoman Vicki Berryman and Third Ward Councilwoman Allene Owen will sift through the applications, conduct interviews and make a recommendation to the full council.
Action will be taken by the council on that recommendation when it meets March 2.
The person selected will only serve through the end of the unexpired term which ends in April. If that person wishes to remain in office, they would have to run a write-in campaign since it is past the election filing deadline.
The council accepted Roberts’ resignation on Jan. 19. Roberts, who was not present at the meeting, had submitted a letter announcing his plans to step down due to health issues.
Roberts is retired and has worked in an oil patch-related business and law enforcement. He was a relative new comer to Great Bend when he was elected in April 2013.