Springfield appoints Jill Cuadros as Ward 4 interim councilor

Springfield has filled its Ward 4 seat, ending a vacancy that left one of the city’s central-east districts without a vote on budgets, ordinances and committee work. Jill Cuadros will serve as interim councilor through Dec. 31, 2026, then the Ward 4 seat will go back to the voters in the November 2026 general election, with the winner serving the remainder of the term through Dec. 31, 2028.

The appointment gives Ward 4 direct representation in a district that includes the Bob Keefer Center for Sports and Recreation, Agnes Stewart Middle School, Mt. Vernon Elementary, Maple Elementary, the Springfield DMV, Jerry’s Home Improvement Center and the Walmart Supercenter. Springfield describes the ward as generally bounded by Highway 126, 21st Street, 42nd Street and the southern city limits near the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, putting Cuadros in the middle of decisions that affect a large stretch of daily city life in east Springfield.

City officials said six people applied for the vacancy during the public recruitment window, which ran from Jan. 21 through Feb. 20, 2026 at 5 p.m. Candidates were interviewed April 6, councilors deliberated and voted April 20, and Cuadros is expected to be sworn in April 27. The process was governed by Chapter IV, Section 20 of the Springfield Charter, the city’s vacancy rule for council appointments.

Cuadros brings 38 years in Springfield and experience the city said includes budget management, capital project oversight and intergovernmental collaboration. In her remarks to the city, she emphasized thoughtful decision-making, strong core services and long-term stability, and said decisions should be informed by data and community input. Mayor Sean VanGordon welcomed the appointment and pointed to her background as a way to preserve continuity during the interim term.

The seat became vacant after Beth Blackwell’s resignation took effect Dec. 31, 2025. Blackwell had first been appointed in April 2023 and then won election to a full term beginning in January 2025. With Ward 4 now filled, Cuadros will join Springfield’s mayor and six councilors in setting policy, passing ordinances and resolutions, adopting the city budget and making other choices that shape housing, public safety, infrastructure and city spending before the next election cycle arrives.