Anna Maria soon will be missing two of five votes on the dais.
But a plan is in place for filling the commission vacancies.
City commissioners Oct. 19 approved a timeline for events leading up to appointing successors to Commissioners Robert Kingan and Deanie Sebring by Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
Sebring resigned and moved away earlier this month. Her seat will remain vacant until a successor is chosen.
The term runs through December 2024. So a successor will have about a year to serve in the role following an appointment.
Kingan’s term will expire in December and his successor will step into a full two-year term on the commission.
Kingan decided not to run for election in November and no one else qualified to seek the seat.
The selection process will begin Wednesday, Nov. 1, when the city will begin accepting applications and forum questions from the public.
The window to submit applications will close Friday, Dec. 15, and then the public will have until Wednesday, Dec. 27, to submit questions for applicants.
The questions will be provided to the applicants by Friday, Dec. 29, so they can prepare for a forum that is planned for 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
The forum will allow applicants to introduce themselves and answer questions provided by the public, similar to the process used this January to appoint Commissioner Charles Salem.
However, the upcoming forum will allow attending members of the public to ask the applicants live questions. Such questions must be based on those submitted to the city, like calls for clarification about an applicant’s answer.
The existing commission — which will consist of three members by that point — will vote to appoint new members at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at city hall.
The applicant who receives the most votes will choose between the one- and two-year terms, leaving the other term to the applicant with the second-most votes.
Mayor Dan Murphy said he believed the schedule would provide enough time for the public to be informed about the applicants and get involved in the process.
To qualify for a commission seat, people must have maintained a residency within the city for at least two years, be a qualified voter of the city, and cannot be employed by the city or hold any other municipal office.
City commissioners receive a $4,800 annual salary.
The commission will meet next at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, at city hall.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found on the city’s website, cityofannamaria.com.