Ronit Bryant News Today

Four people vying for the Mountain View City Council’s vacant seat gave stances on everything from housing and rent control to transportation and livability at a forum held by community groups on Jan. 27. A fifth applicant dropped out.

As it neared 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, dozens of community members trickled into the Mountain View Council Chambers for a meeting with just one item on the agenda: filling the council’s vacant seat. Five hours later, Emily Ann Ramos had it.

The Mountain View City Council narrowed its pool of applicants for the vacant council seat down to five finalists at a Jan. 24 meeting. Those five will get to move on to the interview round, slated for next Monday.

Following a surge in last-minute applications, a total of 10 residents are now vying for a spot on the Mountain View City Council as the city looks to appoint a replacement for Council member Sally Lieber later this month.

The Mountain View City Council will decide next month whether to approve a four-story office project next door to City Hall, a proposal that has generated significant objections from residents opposed to further office growth.

Encouraged by strong public support for a lively and pedestrian-friendly downtown, the Mountain View City Council agreed Tuesday to keep Castro Street closed to vehicle traffic through January 2023.