An eight-member council will soon have a new mayor and a new at-large city council member just in time for budget season. In this photo, the current members of the council stand behind the dais as Corpus Christi police officer Skyler Barker (front, center) was recognized by City Manager Margie C. Rose (front, left) and Police Chief Mike Markle (front, right) at a recent City Council meeting. Officer Barker has received the distinction of Corpus Christi's ‘Police Officer of the Year’ and Kiwanis International Club of Corpus Christi’s ‘Chief Floyd Simpson Police Officer of the Year.’ Council members are (back row, from left) Michael Hunter, Ben Molina, Carolyn Vaughn, Lucy Rubio, Joe McComb, Paulette M. Guarjardo, Greg Smith and Rudy Garza Jr. Courtesy photo

An eight-member council will soon have a new mayor and a new at-large city council member just in time for budget season. In this photo, the current members of the council stand behind the dais as Corpus Christi police officer Skyler Barker (front, center) was recognized by City Manager Margie C. Rose (front, left) and Police Chief Mike Markle (front, right) at a recent City Council meeting. Officer Barker has received the distinction of Corpus Christi’s ‘Police Officer of the Year’ and Kiwanis International Club of Corpus Christi’s ‘Chief Floyd Simpson Police Officer of the Year.’ Council members are (back row, from left) Michael Hunter, Ben Molina, Carolyn Vaughn, Lucy Rubio, Joe McComb, Paulette M. Guarjardo, Greg Smith and Rudy Garza Jr. Courtesy photo

If all goes according to plan, the Corpus Christi City Council will once again have a full slate of members and a mayor as of July 11 — the first time since former Mayor Dan McQueen resigned Jan. 19, only 37 days after taking office. At-large City Council member Joe McComb will be sworn in as mayor on May 18. He won 52.2 percent of the vote in the May 2 special election, besting seven other candidates and preventing a runoff. His election left an at-large council position vacant.
The process for choosing McComb’s replacement begins the same day he is sworn in, when the city will begin taking applications for the position. The application period closes June 2, according to a plan approved by the council at its May 16 meeting. 
Council members will review the applications before meeting in executive session June 13 to narrow the field. Public interviews for finalists will be held June 20, followed by a second executive session. The final decision will be made in open session. 
The appointment will come just in time for the council’s annual budget process to begin. Budget decisions must be finalized in the fall.
So far, three of the mayoral candidates have announced they will apply for the position: 
• Larry White, retired chemical engineer
• Ray Madrigal, former at-large council member
• Margareta Fratila, owner of European Floral Designs
Mayoral candidates Nelda Martinez and Mark DiCarlo announced they will not seek the position.

SWEARING-IN

McComb will officially become the city’s next mayor during a special council meeting called for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18. Judge Sandra L. Watts of the 117th District Court of Nueces County will conduct the ceremony. A brief reception will follow in the foyer outside council chambers. 
McComb will then preside over a workshop meeting after the swearing-in in the City Hall basement training room. His first regular meeting as mayor will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 23.