UPDATED- Four finalists named for Snohomish City Council vacancy

Six members of the City Council selected four finalists for a council vacancy through a ranked-choice voting system, allowing them to score their preferred candidates. The finalists are Tabitha Baty, who works in customer service and is involved with Snohomish for Equity; Melissa Carico, a health care technology professional; Terry Lippincott, a retired educator and current chair of the planning commission; and Todd C. Nichols, a Navy veteran and attorney. Fred Gaitan, a retired retail manager with community support, was notably not selected, along with other candidates like John Kartak and Olivia Gould. The council's decision followed a meeting where they received numerous advocacy letters for Gaitan, which will appear in the local paper.

Interviews for the finalists will take place on December 2 at 5 p. m. This action comes after Councilwoman Maygen Hetherington announced her plans to step down. The council aims to finalize the appointment at the upcoming meeting. The selection process highlights the community's engagement and interest in local governance.