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Five finalists named for open seat on Spokane City Council

The Spokane City Council will publicly interview five shortlist candidates for an open seat vacated by Betsy Wilkerson, who had represented south Spokane but was elected in November to the citywide position of City Council President.  (Christopher Anderson)
By Emry Dinman emryd@spokesman.com(509) 459-5472

Five people have made the shortlist for an open seat on the Spokane City Council vacated by Betsy Wilkerson, who represented south Spokane until winning an election in November to the citywide position of City Council president.

They are Jamie Bartlett, Alex Gibilisco, Shane Gronholz, Barbara Liliana Navarette Lorenzo and Kathryn “Katy” Sheehan. They beat out 12 other applicants seeking appointment to a nearly two-year stint on the City Council.

The City Council will conduct a public interview of the five finalists at their regularly scheduled study session at 11 a.m. Thursday. The interviews will be streamed live on City Cable 5 and on the City Council’s Facebook page. Members of the public can attend in person at City Hall, but no public comment will be taken.

Bartlett works as the director of the Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center at Gonzaga University and previously worked as a lecturer for Eastern Washington University.

Gibilisco is likely the candidate most familiar to those on the City Council, as he is employed as the council’s equity manager, hired as the first person in that newly created position in 2020 to help ensure city laws and policies are equitable and inclusive.

Gronholz works as the current affairs specialist for the Spokane Public Library system and previously as a lecturer at Gonzaga University.

Navarette works as a community development officer for the state Commission on Hispanic Affairs and previously as director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood for Greater Washington and North Idaho.

Sheehan works as executive director of the Community Building Foundation doing consulting and grant-making, and as director of the Saranac Building LLC, which manages the Saranac Commons, Main Market, Community Building and others. Through that latter role, Sheehan manages the Magic Lantern Theatre.

Wilkerson was elected City Council president in November, vacating her seat representing south Spokane, a district also represented by Councilman Paul Dillon, who also was elected in November. Whoever is appointed by the City Council will remain in that position until the 2025 general election is certified.

An appointment vote is scheduled for Jan. 22.