Kelly Maloney’s announcement that she’ll resign from the City Council effective Dec. 31 didn’t come as a big surprise. Only the timing did.

The demands of her new job, combined with the stress of recent hot political issues at City Hall, seemed to be weighing on her. Many City Hall-watchers did not think she would run again next year; others expected a resignation next spring. Her new job requires her to be in Olympia during the legislative session, which starts in January, so the timing likely fits her work schedule.

Several names have already surfaced as possible candidates for appointment. Some who were thinking about running for the council were anticipating at least two openings – and possibly a third. If longtime council member Jeanne Burbidge retires as expected, that makes two. There has also been low-key speculation that Councilwoman Dini Duclos might resign after the Performing Arts and Events Center opens, creating a third opportunity.

The Maloney vacancy will be filled by appointment, as would the vacancy created were Duclos to step down, because her term wouldn’t be up until 2020. Burbidge’s term would be filled by public election.

The front-runners for appointment are those that were already thinking about running next year, since current council members would want to take away the possibility that one of them would run against them. Burbidge, Maloney and Martin Moore are the three council members up for election next year, and it’s worth noting that Mayor Jim Ferrell’s term is also up next year.

Maloney was thought by many to be interested in running for mayor next year, as she’s frequently at odds with Ferrell over how to approach city problems. She and council member Susan Honda formed a two-person check on Ferrell that lacked enough votes to be effective, but it did create needed debate. New council member Mark Koppang ran against Maloney three years ago, and their relationship has appeared strained.

Recently, Maloney’s frustration with the council job has seemed more pronounced. Some wonder if she might run for mayor in 2020, but others speculate she might go the other way and endorse Ferrell next year. Either could be problematic for her depending on what her political ally, Honda, decides to do.

The stage is set for an awkward appointment process. Future political concerns will come into play, and so will party politics. Ferrell wants to be re-elected next year and wants someone he can work with. Koppang and Honda are eyeing the mayor’s job in 2020 – if not before – and are looking for supporters on council issues. Martin Moore wants any potential competition appointed and out of his way for next year, as does Lydia Assefa-Dawson (whose term is up in 2020). The council has five women and two men but only one member of an ethnic minority. Moore, Honda and Koppang are Republicans; Burbidge and Duclos tend to be more independent (as can Maloney on occasion); and Assefa-Dawson claims to be a Democrat but has endorsed several Republicans. Honda, Maloney and Duclos speak up for the business community more than the others, but only Honda consistently speaks up for the poor and those in need.

Moore is thought to be vulnerable, but if one candidate runs for Burbidge’s seat and the council appoints another candidate to Maloney’s vacant spot, Moore’s chances of being re-elected go up. Then, of course, Duclos’ plans come into play.

Here are some names floating around the coffee shops as people who might be interested:

• Sherry Edwards, a Democrat committed to helping the poor, almost almost ran for the Legislature but deferred to Kristine Reeves.

• Roger Flygare, a businessman and Democrat, ran unsuccessfully for the City Council, state Legislature and the South King Fire and Rescue Board of Commissioners.

• Randall Smith, a Democrat, lost a race for the Lakehaven Utility Board.

• Hope Elder, a former council member who has wanted to return to the council.

• Bob Celski, a Republican who stepped down after one term on the council. His resignation created the vacancy that Mark Koppang won over Julie Hiller.

• Julie Hiller, a Republican and previous council candidate, may try again. She started late last time and still managed to give three-time candidate Koppang a good race.

• Diana Noble-Guilliford, a Republican who served a short time as an appointment to the council.

• Jack Dovey, a Republican who served on the council for several years in the old Council-manager form of government. Dovey also ran for the state Legislature, losing to Roger Freeman.

• P.K. Thumbi, a Republican who lost a council race against Duclos two years ago.

• Keith Livingston, a previous and passed-over applicant for a council vacancy.

• Tom Medhurst, who serves on the Planning Commission.

• C.M. (Mark) Greene, a perennial office-seeker, has ran for several offices in several states and just lost in the primary for Washington Lt. Governor. Greene has already filed paper work to run for mayor next year but may find the council opportunity too good to pass up.

If they want a broadly representative member of the community when they fill Maloney’s spot, council members should look for a minority who’s a Democrat with a passion for helping people and the courage to take on difficult issues. However, with a majority of the council being Republican or conservative, and with Ferrell’s continued tilt to the Republican side, the frontrunners to watch are Celski, Hiller and Noble-Guiliford. Edwards, however, might be closer to meeting the policy and community connection needs.

Of course, there’s always more intrigue behind the scenes. What happens if the losers of the current legislative races decide they’re interested in the council? They could put in for appointment, run against an appointee, or run for Burbidge or Moore’s seat.

The council cannot officially appoint anyone until a vacancy actually exists, meaning not until after the effective date of Maloney’s letter (Dec. 31). They can, however, start the process prior to that, although doing so risks the situation getting awkward should Maloney change her mind – she can do so right up until midnight on Dec. 31 – and keep her seat.

Maloney has no vote for her replacement and should not participate in any part of the process. And while there are circumstances under which Ferrell as mayor could cast a tie-breaking ballot, this isn’t one of them. Only the six remaining council members can participate and select Maloney’s replacement, so it takes four affirmative votes.

I’m sure you thought 2016 was a very political year. Well, 2017 will be just as political, but it will all be local.

Federal Way resident Bob Roegner is the former mayor of Auburn. He can be reached at bjroegner@comcast.net.