Six apply to fill Springfield Ward 4 council vacancy; interviews scheduled April

Six candidates have applied to fill the latest vacancy on Springfield City Council." Councilors are scheduled to interview the applicants April 6 and pick between them April 20, and "their pick will be sworn in April 27 and serve through the rest of 2026." That schedule gives Ward 4 residents a timeline for restored representation ahead of the November election cycle.

The vacancy opened when Ward 4 Councilor Beth Blackwell "stepped down in December, citing difficulty in balancing personal and professional responsibilities." This is the second council vacancy since the last election; "the new vacancy garnered much more interest than the last one which attracted just one applicant," signaling higher competition for the interim appointment this time.

Six Ward 4 residents submitted applications: Callee Ackland, a tenant support specialist for the nonprofit Springfield Eugene Tenant Association and a member of the Springfield Planning Commission; Jill Cuadros, support services director for Eugene School District 4J; Ben Larson, described as a farmer and a licensed educator at the Springfield School District who also works as a direct support professional and serves on the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective, the Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, and the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency Citizens Advisory Committee; CJ Mann, retired from the Housing Authority and Community Services Agency (noted as Homes for Good) and a board member of Willamalane Park and Recreation District and the Wildish Community Theater; Thomas McCallister, a financial advisor and business owner who serves on the Willamalane Park Foundation and the Lane Transit District Budget Committee; and Donald Sacrison, lead custodian for Springfield School District.

Councilors opted to interview all six applicants rather than narrow the field before public meetings. The April 6 interview date and April 20 selection date set a compressed timetable for council deliberations; the chosen interim councilor is scheduled to be sworn the week of April 27 and will "serve through the rest of 2026." Under the current schedule, the November 2026 general election will determine who serves the remaining two years of the term: "In the November general election, voters will elect a Ward 4 councilor to serve the remaining two years of Blackwell’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2028. The interim councilor is eligible to run for the seat in the election."

The heightened applicant interest compared with the prior vacancy and the range of professional backgrounds among applicants - from tenant advocacy and school district service to agriculture, finance, and nonprofit housing work - creates a choice point for councilors about policy priorities for Ward 4 through year-end. Councilors will make the selection at the April 20 meeting and swear in the appointee the following week, returning full representation to Ward 4 until the winner of the November election takes office in 2027 to complete the term ending Dec. 31, 2028.