The Lynnwood City Council chose new leadership and moved to begin recruitment for a council vacancy at its Jan. 13 business meeting.

Leadership votes: Council elected Council Member Nick Coelho as council president by roll call vote (5 yes, 1 no). Council then selected a vice president by roll call after an initial nomination failed; Council Member George Hurst’s nomination failed, and Council Member Josh Bridal was elected vice president by a 4–2 roll call vote. The council followed customary procedure: each candidate made brief statements before the votes.

Appointments and liaisons: Following elections, the council president appointed members to interjurisdictional boards and internal liaison positions for 2025. Appointments discussed included delegates and alternates for organizations such as Snohomish County Tomorrow, the Lynnwood Public Facilities District, the Snohomish County 911 Board, the Alliance for Housing Affordability, and local boards and commissions. Some assignments were adjusted during the meeting; the new president explained certain continuity choices to maintain operational knowledge for active projects.

Council vacancy recruitment process: The council directed the city clerk to publish a notice of vacancy for City Council Position No. 5 and adopted a recruitment timeline. The city clerk described the proposed schedule: notice publication on Jan. 14, application deadline Jan. 31, application distribution to council Feb. 3, council scoring and submission of interview questions by Feb. 7, interviews on Feb. 18 and Feb. 24, and a council vote with an oath of office on March 3 if a selection is made on Feb. 24. The clerk said the process follows the council-approved resolution on filling vacancies.

Why this matters: internal leadership affects meeting agendas, committee assignments and who represents the city on regional bodies. The vacancy timetable establishes a compressed window for applicants and aims to have a new member by early March so the council can operate with a full membership during upcoming planning and budget discussions.

Other consent and procedural actions: During the meeting the council also approved claims and payroll by unanimous consent, authorized routine contracts including construction management for the Scriber Creek Trail Phase III contract, and approved a council meeting calendar for 2025. The council also scheduled its annual council summit for Feb. 8, 2025.

Outcome: the new president and vice president were selected, liaison roles assigned, and the recruitment process for the vacant seat was authorized to proceed with the clerk posting the notice and accepting applications on the stated timetable.