Hemet City Council Appoints Former Planner to Fill Vacant Seat

HEMET (CNS) – A longtime Hemet resident and former local government employee will serve out the City Council term of a member who passed away earlier this year. Carole Kendrick was unanimously selected by the council on Tuesday to fill the District One seat left vacant by the death of 48-year-old Karlee Meyer. Kendrick will complete Meyer’s term, which ends in December 2024. It was unclear whether she intends to run for election to the seat afterward. "I have been a Hemet resident since 1999," Kendrick said Wednesday. "I raised my family in Hemet and previously worked for the city for close to 13 years as a planner. I have spent my entire career as a public servant and am honored to serve the city and the district, in the town that I has been my home for 24 years." Kendrick was among seven applicants who weathered the vetting process and was interviewed by the entire council. "With a proven track record of fostering collaboration and seeking innovative solutions, Kendrick is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing the interests of Hemet," according to a city statement. In addition to working in the Department of Planning, the new District One representative previously served as the city’s Infrastructure Commission chairwoman. Meyer was re-elected to the council to serve a second four-year term in 2020. Her death on April 17 followed a nearly two-year battle with cancer. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.