Encinitas has opened applications to fill the City Council’s District 3 seat after the resignation of Jody Hubbard for health reasons, the city announced Jan. 21.

The deadline for submitting applications is Feb. 11. The term runs through 2022. District 3 represents Cardiff and portions east and north along the El Camino Real corridor.

Hubbard announced her resignation effective immediately at the City Council’s Jan. 13 meeting.

“It’s with a heavy heart, but I need to announce that I am resigning off of my Encinitas City Council seat effective tonight,” Hubbard said at the start of the meeting.

Hubbard cited her ongoing battle with cancer as the reason for her resignation. The councilwoman said she was seeing success with treatment, but she had to weigh her health over continued service on the dais.

“My energy levels are just not such that I can fight cancer and fight for the city,” she said.

The debate over how to handle filling the seat has centered on whether Cardiff residents should elect a successor or the City Council should fill the vacancy.

At the meeting on Jan. 21, public comments varied between support for the council’s filling of the vacancy given challenges to scheduling an election, and support for an election because of Cardiff’s characteristics as a community, which include having its own school district and ZIP code.

Applicants for the seat must be 18 years old, be a California citizen, and be a resident and registered voter in District 3.

The applicants must attend the Feb. 24 City Council meeting via the Zoom platform to share their qualifications and interests in serving on council. The City Council could vote to approve a new member at that meeting or at a later date, according to the city’s announcement.

More information, including the application, is available online: encinitasca.gov/Home/City-News/ArticleID/353.

encinitas current, cardiff current