9 people vie for vacant Chandler City Council seat

Nine people are vying for the vacant council seat left by Vice Mayor Nora Ellen, who is running for the state Legislature.

The Chandler City Council received 36 applications for the post and, in a closed-door session, pared that back to the nine they will interview Monday. The selected applicant will be sworn in June 29 and serve the remainder of Ellen's term, which ends in 2021.

Two of the applicants also are running for the three other seats up for grabs in the August election. Here's a look at each: 

ELECTION 2018: Here's who wants to run your Valley city 

Meet the candidates

William Crawford III: He spent 24 years with the Maricopa Community College District and most recently was the vice president at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. He teaches justice studies and education as an adjunct professor at Northern Arizona University. Crawford also served 23 years with the Phoenix Police Department, according to his campaign.

Matt Eberle: He serves on the Tri-City Christian Academy board and on the city’s Architecture Review Board. He is a managing member of the Biltmore Executive Group.

Aaron Harris: He is the director of federal programs for the Higley Unified School District. He serves on the Chandler Housing and Human Services Committee, Chandler Citizen Review Panel for Police Complaints and Use of Force, and Arizona First Things First board.

Victor Hardy: He is a retired Air Force veteran and pastor at the Congregational Church of the Valley in Chandler. He is president and co-founder of Chandler Men of Action, a group that helps African-American youth find opportunities in their communities. Hardy is also the director and coordinator for the Chandler Community Celebration Choir.

Jill Hudson: She is an attorney and owner of the Hudson Law Firm. She is an adjunct professor at Arizona State University and Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Hudson worked as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for three years. She was appointed by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano to serve on the Violence Against Women Committee in 2003. 

Jeremy McClymonds: He works as a wealth management advisor for FORM Prosperity Wealth Advisors. He is a member of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and sits on the city's Parks and Recreation Board and the Kiwanis Young Professionals board. He volunteers with the Chandler Compadres, a non-profit that helps disadvantaged children in Chandler. 

Diane Ortiz-Parsons: She previously taught critical reading and developmental reading at Gilbert-Chandler Community College. She's served on the city's Planning and Zoning Commission before and was vice chair of the Maricopa County Republican Committee. 

Eshé Pickett: She is an engineer at Intel in Chandler. Pickett volunteers with Arizona Legislative District 18 Democrats and serves on the Chandler Neighborhood Advisory Committee. She was part of the General Plan Update Committee in 2015. 

John Repar: He is retired and ran for council in 2009 and 2016. He was a manager at several companies such as DS Manufacturing and Global Chemical. He has served on such city committees as the Chandler Economic Development Action Team and the Chandler Domestic Violence Commission. He is a Chandler Chamber of Commerce member and serves on the Chandler Salvation Army Board of Directors.  

Reach the reporter at Jerod.MacDonald@RepublicMedia.com. Follow on Twitter: @JerodMacEvoy.

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