Haines Borough Assembly members appointed Jerry Lapp to fill the assembly’s vacant seat by a vote of 3-2 at a meeting Tuesday night.

The seat had been vacant since Dec. 10 when Sean Maidy resigned. Earlier this month, the assembly solicited letters of intent from interested candidates with a deadline of Friday, Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. Former assembly members Diana Lapham and Jerry Lapp preemptively submitted letters in December.

Diana Lapham withdrew her application Wednesday, Jan. 22, citing her election as chair of the planning commission. The following day, Haines Borough Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee member Burl Sheldon submitted his letter of intent, and on Friday, local musician Jo Goerner submitted her letter with minutes to spare.

On Tuesday, each candidate had the opportunity to make opening remarks before a round of questions from assembly members.

Sheldon said he was eager to apply experience from his job as finance officer for Tenakee Springs and his openness to good ideas to help the assembly “be creative and realistic about the budget.” He described himself as a centrist and said that the assembly should “look at the reality of reducing (discretionary) expenditures so as not to increase the burden on taxpayers” while also preserving the quality of life services that keep people in the community.

Goerner pitched herself as a representative of voices in Haines less frequently represented in public discussions. While many of her peers in their 20s and 30s are involved in raising families and running businesses, she said, her personal and professional life had opened up in a way that allowed her to dedicate her time to local government. Her strength as an assembly member would be her outgoing nature and ability to communicate effectively with the public, she said.

Lapp identified his 20 years of combined service on the assembly and as Mayor of Haines as one of his greatest strengths. From 2001 to 2014, Lapp served as a member of the assembly. He lost his reelection bid in 2015 by 12 votes. He said he wanted to get back on the assembly to help the borough navigate its current budget challenges. “I don’t like raising taxes,” Lapp said. His budget approach would emphasize resource development to bring jobs and money to the community, he said.

Less than 30 minutes after the interviews concluded, assembly members voted Lapp to be their sixth member.

Assembly member Gabe Thomas, who made the motion to appoint Lapp, said the decision was easy. “(Lapp’s) experience will be valuable to help us learn (the budget) process,” he said, referencing the relative inexperience of current assembly members. This year’s budget process will be the first for Thomas and assembly members Paul Rogers and Zephyr Sincerny.

“We’ve got a lot to do in a few months, and I appreciate having someone who can hit the ground running,” said Brenda Josephson, who has served on the assembly for the past three years.

Thomas said that, in addition to experience, he was looking for someone with a similar budget approach. “I don’t think you can ever tax into prosperity… It seems like you’re trying to avoid the hard decision,” he said. “I’m looking for some strength.”

Sincerny and assembly member Stephanie Scott voted against Lapp’s appointment. “I appreciate Lapp’s service to the borough,” Sincerny said, “But I think that we’re at a point in time to continue to have new ideas and energy on the board and give some folks who haven’t had a chance to do that before the opportunity.”

There was a brief discussion after members voted about whether the appointment required four “yes” votes or a simple majority of current assembly members. Mayor Jan Hill said she had looked it up ahead of time and that it only required a majority of current members.

During public comment at the end of the meeting, code review commission member Margaret Friedenauer said she was disheartened to see the assembly on different pages about the voting requirements. “It sounds kind of weird when you all aren’t on the same page about the number of votes you need for a really important vote… The same code that you cited as only needing a majority also said that you needed a roll call.”

Hill thanked her and proceeded to do a roll call vote, which ended with the same result.

Lapp will serve in his new position until the October elections. In October, terms expire for the Mayor and assembly members Josephson, Lapp, Sincerny, and Scott.