Several candidates with whom I wasn’t especially familiar, including Joann Francis, Harriet Walden, and Robert Sondheim, have made impressive speeches that demonstrate both community experience and commitment to public service. It’s encouraging that so many people are willing to take time out of their lives to apply for a long-shot job like this.

Unfortunately, most people at city hall appear to think the “short list” of candidates is already more or less determined. I hope the council will be open to the possibility of including an unknown candidate on the 12-person “short list” that will be interviewed on Monday, January 23.