The city of St. Paul on Monday issued a request for proposals, if you will, from people looking to serve on the City Council through the end of the year.

The opening is for the Seventh Ward seat, to be vacated at the end of February by Kathy Lantry as she leaves the City Council to take up her new job as director of St. Paul's Public Works Department.

Here are the basic conditions:

-- You must live in the ward, which encompasses the East Side mostly south of Minnehaha Avenue;

-- You must agree not to run for the seat in this year's election (there are five candidates so far, and the council doesn't want to be accused of being king- or queen-makers in advance of the voting);

-- You should be familiar with city government and have the time and energy necessary to do a good job.

Interested? Send your resume and cover letter to Trudy Moloney, City Council operations director, at trudy.moloney@ci.stpaul.mn.us or St. Paul City Council, Suite 310, City Hall, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on February 6.

The council will conduct interviews for job finalists on February 11, and plans to make the appointment at its meeting on February 25. It reserves the right to limit the number of applicants to be interviewed.

The term ends on December 31.