Kirkland City Council unanimously chose Jon Pascal to fill the position 2 seat vacated by Shelley Kloba.

“I’m really excited and honored,” said Pascal, who recently moved to the Juanita neighborhood after living on Finn Hill in Kirkland. “It’s a significant honor to represent the residents of Kirkland.”

Pascal previously served the City of Kirkland as a planning commissioner from April 2010 through March 2016 and as a transportation commissioner from November 2001 through March 2010. He also was a candidate for the open position 2 seat in 2013.

Pascal works as a consultant for the Transpo Group, which provides transportation planning and design services. He has a bachelor’s degree in forestry and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Washington.

His first date in office is Jan. 1, and he will participate in the council’s Jan. 3 meeting.

“We’ll be working with him to make sure he’s fully briefed,” City Manager Kurt Triplett said.

His appointment is valid through the certification for the November 2017 election, and Pascal indicated an eagerness to run for election to the seat next year in his interview.

“It’s been my objective to run for elected office,” he said. “I really just want to be part of the decision making going forward.”

The council also interviewed four other finalists at its special Dec. 19 meeting, Dianne Bell, Colleen Cullen, Andy Held and Tom Neir. They were chosen by a selection committee consisting of Councilmembers Toby Nixon, Dave Asher and Penny Sweet from a pool of 26 applicants.

Kloba chose to give up her seat on the council following her Nov. 8 election as 1st District state representative.