Resignation opens seat on Liberty Lake council

Liberty Lake is looking for a new council member.

Lori Olander, who was appointed to the City Council in 2012 and won election to the seat last November, resigned May 6, citing increased work demands that made it difficult for her to give the level of attention to the job that it requires. The resignation was effective immediately and Olander apologized for her erratic attendance at council meetings and city functions this year.

City Administrator Katy Allen said applications are being accepted through Monday for a replacement. llen said this week she’s heard that three applications already have been submitted. A special meeting of the City Council is scheduled for June 10 to interview applicants, and Allen said it’s likely that a decision will be made that night.

The seven-member nonpartisan council meets twice-monthly and is responsible for setting city policy, ordinances and its annual budget. The positions pay $400 per month.

Olander, 51, is a retired Navy officer and nurse anesthetist who campaigned on a platform of fiscal restraint as the city’s population continues to swell. She was a critic of the city’s utility tax and wanted to slash the rate, but also was an advocate of developing ball fields for the city and insuring that city services continued to expand to accommodate growth north of Interstate 90 in the River District.

As part of her resignation, Olander said she was donating two months of her council salary to pay for a new bike rack for the city.