The city of Hoquiam is looking for someone to fill a vacancy in the city council’s Ward 4.

Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay said Al Dick, councilor for Ward 4, resigned for personal reasons. Dick sat on the city council for Hoquiam’s Ward 4 for three years. He served from Jan. 1, 2020 to Feb. 13, 2023, according to Tracy Wood, community services coordinator for the city of Hoquiam.

Since there is now a vacancy, the city will place a notice of the vacancy in The Daily World on March 2, which will run each week through March 31. The vacancy notice was sent to The Daily World on Wednesday morning, Feb. 22, Wood said.

The position is open to residents in Hoquiam’s Ward 4. They must have been a registered voter for the past year. Interested candidates must submit a letter as to why they are interested in the council position. The letters must be submitted by 5 p.m., on March 31. The letters should be addressed to Tracy Wood, Council Secretary, Wood said.

The city council would then review the submitted letters.

“Most likely, they invite anybody who submits,” Shay said. “Probably the first meeting in April is when they’d pick someone.”

As of Wednesday, the city of Hoquiam website has April 10 as the city council’s first April meeting.

If there are multiple letters, the council would make a point to vote for one person or another, and then they would vote. But as Shay pointed out, a lot of times the city only gets one letter.

As for the vacancy, it sounds like the candidate would have to fill some pretty big shoes.

“Al Dick was so awesome,” Shay said. “He was an amazing individual. When I started in the city he was the park foreman. He took care of the parks, he took care of Olympic Stadium. He’s been a coach in baseball for years and years. He’s a guy who’s given tremendously to the city.”

Wood called Dick a “valued member” of the Parks and Cemetery Departments. Dick served the city from Sept. 16, 1996 through Oct. 31, 2011, Wood said.

“He was an active participant on the city council and served on many council committees as well as special committees of the council,” Wood said. “It has been a pleasure and an honor having him on the city council and working with him throughout his career as a city employee.”

Shay said it was “awesome” to have Dick on the city council.

“Even though he’s leaving the council he has left a legacy on the city,” Shay said. “He was a tremendous supporter to get the restoration project done at (Olympic) stadium, and he will be missed.”

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com