Forsyth died Dec. 21 after a protracted battle with leukemia. Washburn says filling Forsyth's shoes won't be easy.

"I've appreciated his tremendous ability and his unique and very caring, service-oriented personality," Washburn said late Tuesday, after Forsyth's funeral. "This is really a very devastating loss to the city and the City Council. But we'll do the very best we can to choose someone."

Orem City Attorney Paul Johnson said state statute requires cities to give two weeks' public notice of when officials will meet to fill a council vacancy, which pushes that process past the municipal body's next meeting Jan. 10. Yet the following regularly scheduled meeting is not until Jan. 24, well past the 30-day deadline mandated by statute to pick a replacement.

"So the council is in a little bit of a dilemma time-wise," Johnson said, explaining the need for the special meeting.

Washburn says council members will first meet Jan. 17 to question applicants and hear their answers. Two days later, the council will have another public meeting to announce its pick.

"The goal I would hope the City Council would have," Washburn said, "is to be open-minded and not have any particular agenda as to the person [it wants] or about any issues. We need to look at the individual that will be able to best represent the community, have an open mind and be able to consider the issues in an unbiased way. That's the kind of person we want to appoint the City Council."

Forsyth was appointed to the council 3 1/2 years ago to fill the seat left vacant by Judy Bell. He was elected to the seat in November 2003. The retired pharmaceutical salesman is remembered by Washburn and his council colleagues for his thorough preparation before meetings and his humor during them.

"He was always on the job," the mayor noted.

Applicants for the council slot must be registered voters and have lived in Orem for at least one year.

meddington@sltrib.com