In Arcata, six candidates are seeking one city council seat

Editor’s note: For more from the candidates — including their impressions of the city’s work to address climate change, Cal Poly Humboldt’s impact on Arcata, the city’s shortcomings in addressing residents’ needs and how they plan to help the council through a trying time — read the full version of this story online. The race for a single seat on the Arcata City Council is making a special appearance on the June ballot with a crowded field of candidates vying to fill the opening left when former Vice Mayor Emily Goldstein stepped down earlier this year for family reasons. The winner-take-all election will see the top vote-getter of the six hopefuls — Chase Marcum, Humnath Panta, Dana Quillman, Edith Rosen, Alexandra Stillman and Kimberley White — serve out the remainder of Goldstein’s term, which runs through November of 2024. Goldstein’s departure marked the council’s second midterm vacancy in less than a year, and the four current members decided in February to take the special election route rather than appointing someone to serve until the November election or simply waiting until then. The council found the special election option struck a balance of expediting the council’s return to a full complement while allowing local residents to choose their representative. With whoever wins stepping onto the dais during a transitional time for Arcata and the council, we asked the candidates to answer some questions about themselves, the challenges facing the city and their reasons for running. Two of candidates — Panta and White — also applied to finish the term of former Councilmember Sofia Pereira, who stepped down last summer to become the county’s public health director. An assistant professor of finance at Cal Poly Humboldt, Panta says he wants to give back to a community that has given him “so much in the past several years.” “I think the city council is the best venue for me to contribute comprehensively to the community,” he said. “I have extensive experience in multiple areas, including public and financial administration, public policies, planning, program evaluation, reporting, budgeting, accounting and data analytics. I believe my experience, expertise and perpetual pursuit of excellence will provide a meaningful contribution to the city of Arcata and its citizens.” White, a coordinator at the nonprofit Comunidad Unida del Norte de Arcata/Community United of North Arcata and a city Planning Commission member who also previously ran for a council seat…