Starting Tuesday, Sonoma County officials pushing creation of a public power agency face what could be the biggest hurdle yet as they appeal to cities to join the program.

The Cotati City Council unanimously voted to appoint John Moore as the new city councilman Wednesday. The council seat became vacant in January following former city Councilwoman Pat Gilardi’s resignation to take a job as district director for Sonoma County Supervisor Susan Gorin.

The Cotati City Council voted 4-0 Wednesday to seek applicants to fill a vacancy on the dais created by the resignation of Pat Gilardi, who is taking a job with new 1st District County Supervisor Susan Gorin.

Cotati City Councilman Mark Landman, who became involved in the city’s politics when he helped lead a bitter and successful 2009 campaign to recall Councilman George Barich, was selected to be its mayor Wednesday.

Cotati officials who in 2011 happily settled on a controversial $3.5 million redesign of the downtown have altered their course following a ballot initiative that banned roundabouts from the city.

Oliver’s Market is close to signing a new lease to remain in its flagship store in Cotati, a move that could kill plans for a new grocery store at the town’s northern entrance.

Another ballot-box battle may be on Cotati’s horizon in the wake of the City Council’s unanimous approval of a $3.5 million plan to narrow the city’s main street and install two traffic roundabouts instead of stoplights. Opponents of the plan had promised, even before the council vote shortly after midnight Wednesday, they would mount a drive for a referendum to bar roundabouts anywhere in the city.

One of Cotati’s biggest employers may have inadvertently undercut its objections to a city proposal to install two roundabouts on its main street. Oliver’s Market, which has said it won’t relocate downtown if the traffic plan goes forward and may leave the city, has been showing a video to demonstrate how the roundabout would be an impediment to big trucks. Only one problem: the video does not tell the full story.

A former mayor is taking over the Cotati City Council seat left vacant by the April 9 death of Councilman Robert Coleman-Senghor. The council appointed John Dell’Osso, a National Park Service ranger, to serve the remainder Coleman-Senghor’s term.

A math professor, a former mayor and a once-recalled council member are among five applicants for a vacant Cotati Council seat. The two others are a self-employed business consultant and a former planning commission chairwoman. See who’s being considered to fill the seat vacated by the death of Councilman Robert Coleman-Senghor.