Sally Clark Will Replace Compton

On Friday the City Council capped off a busy week by appointing Sally Clark as Jim Compton's replacement.

Clark had been working at Lifelong AIDS Alliance when she, along with 102 others, applied for the position.

There had been speculation that the council was looking to replace Compton with a minority candidate, making Clark, the only white finalist, something of a long shot. After early rounds of voting
failed to produce a majority, Clark won the seat by a 6-2 vote, with only the two non-honky council members David Della and Richard McIver voting against her. Clark was later endorsed by a unanimous vote.

Before the final decision, the council had whittled the field down to six women. But one of these things was not like the others. Said the Seattle Times: "The five other finalists had formed a bond, meeting over dinners in what they described as a 'sisterhood,' pledging to unite behind whichever one of them was picked. Clark, who is white, was not invited to those dinners, but she got the job." Awkward.

The council was impressed with her strong interviews and resume, which includes time spent as an aide to former city council member Tina Podlodowski and King County Council member Bob Ferguson. She had also spent five years working for the city's neighborhoods departments. The latter should help prepare her for her role as chairwoman of the council's neighborhoods and economic development committee .

The appointment will last for the duration of the year; however, Clark has a chance to run for her seat in a special election this fall. She will be sworn in on February 6.