A vacant seat has opened up on the St. Helena City Council after member Billy Summers was removed for missing too many meetings. City officials say Summers was absent from regular council meetings for more than 60 straight days, triggering a rule that automatically vacates the position. The city is now accepting applications through May 18 and could appoint a replacement during a May 26 council meeting. Leaders say appointing someone makes more sense than holding a costly special election since the seat is already up for election in November 2026.