Summary

The King County Council on Monday appointed Chris Villasenor to fill a vacant seat on the Newcastle City Council by a unanimous vote.

Story

The King County Council on Monday appointed Chris Villasenor to fill a vacant seat on the Newcastle City Council by a unanimous vote. 

The seat became vacant when Tony Ventrella resigned from the Newcastle Council on August 1. Because the position was not filled within 90 days, or by October 29, state law requires the County Council to fill the vacancy within the next 90 days. At a special meeting today, the County Council interviewed the two final candidates who emerged from a competitive process run by the Newcastle Council: Garrett Mock and Chris Villasenor. Both candidates are long-time Newcastle residents and are well qualified for the position. Ultimately, the County Council selected Villasenor for the appointment.

Villasenor is a 16-year resident of Newcastle and has been a member of the Newcastle Planning Commission since 2019. He is an IT professional with a bachelor’s of scienced degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The County Council acted quickly to make the appointment so the new member could join the Newcastle Council in time to participate in budget deliberations and adoption. Passage of the budget will enable the city to continue to provide essential public services to the community in 2022.