Coachella City Council Interviews Candidates to Fill Vacant Seat

Just one day after a lengthy city council meeting that resulted in a temporary moratorium on new data center applications, Coachella city leaders gathered again Tuesday evening to tackle another major decision: filling a vacant seat on the City Council.

The special meeting, held at the Coachella Library meeting rooms, featured interviews with 10 candidates hoping to be appointed to the council seat left vacant when Mayor Frank Figueroa was elevated to the mayor's office in April.

City leaders considered several options for filling the vacancy, including holding a special election. However, officials said the deadline to organize an August special election had already passed. Rather than leaving the seat vacant, the council opted to appoint a replacement.

The individual selected will serve the remainder of the unexpired term through November 2026 and will carry out all duties of a city council member while receiving a stipend for service.

The candidates include Jose Torres, Juan Martinez, Dr. Sandra Luz-Hernandez-Arellano, Salem Peñalosa, Martin Pallares-Perez, Jonathan Zambrano, Andrew Gallegos, Isaac Cepeda, Yavonne Zapata and Eva Lara.

During the public interview process, candidates were asked about their vision for Coachella over the next decade, how they would handle differing viewpoints and how they would work collaboratively with fellow council members and the mayor.

Council members said the interview questions were not disclosed in advance to ensure a fair process. To appoint a candidate, at least three of the four sitting council members must agree on the selection. If no consensus is reached, the council has until June 10 to make the appointment.