City to seek interim clerk candidates

Jenny Marder

The City Council opted Monday to seek applicants for the temporary

city clerk position, instead of appointing Deputy City Clerk Liz

Ehring to fill in until the November election.

The position opened on Tuesday when longtime City Clerk Connie

Brockway officially stepped down because of a family illness. Since

Brockway’s term won’t officially expire until November, the council

was faced with three options: holding a special election, conducting

a short recruitment and interview process or appointing someone as

interim clerk.

After a motion appointing Ehring failed on a 4 to 3 vote, the

council decided 6 to 1 to open the temporary spot to interested

candidates.

Some people, including Brockway, felt the seat should

automatically go to Ehring in the interim. Ehring has experience

filling in for Brockway and just received a license as a certified

city clerk.

“Every part of the office, she just puts herself into,” Brockway

said of Ehring. “You just know when somebody is always there and just

loves city clerk work.”

But Councilwoman Jill Hardy, for one, wants to know who’s out

there.

“This is not a reflection of how I feel about Ms. Ehring, it’s a

desire to have the best city clerk possible,” Hardy said.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman also favored the recruitment process.

“This is no less important and may be more important than City

Council,” Boardman said. “I don’t want to deny anyone who’s qualified

the opportunity to apply for the position.”

Brockway, who formally announced her resignation at the City

Council meeting Monday, said she was “disappointed” with the

council’s decision.

“I put in my letter of resignation how I feel about Liz’s

capabilities,” Brockway said. “She believes very much in the city

clerk’s code of ethics and she’s a certified city clerk, but I have

to respect the council’s prerogative.”

The election for city clerk will be held on Nov. 2. In the

meantime, applications for an interim city clerk will be accepted at

the city attorney’s office until 4 p.m. on May 17. City Council members will review applications and hold interviews.

For applications, visit the city’s website at https://www.surf

city-hb.org or call the job hotline at (714) 374-1570.