Tacoma City Council Tuesday appointed Robert Thoms to the vacant District 2 position, which generally represents northeast Tacoma, the industrial area around the Port of Tacoma, and downtown Tacoma. The position was vacated after former city councilmember Jake Fey was elected to the state House of Representatives in November. Thoms will serve in the position until Dec. 31, 2013, and receive an annual salary of $41,269.

Thoms brings more than 20 years of political and community outreach experience and 24 years of service as a public affairs officer with the U.S. Navy. Additionally, he has worked to coordinate the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership, a group of regional governments and partners from Lacey to Tacoma to better liaison with JBLM. He previously served as senior staff member for U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell. Thoms holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from State University of New York in Buffalo, NY and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane.

Thoms was selected out of a group of seven candidates that included Monica Alexander, Philip Cowan, David D’Aniello, Carolyn Edmonds, Jon Higley, and Patricia Lecy-Davis. Earlier in the day, councilmembers conducted interviews with the candidates, which were aired live on TV Tacoma.

“We interviewed an impressive group of applicants,” said Mayor Marilyn Strickland. “But at the end of the day, Robert Thoms stood out as a strong addition to the Tacoma City Council. We all look forward to working with Council Member Thoms.”