Tracy likely to appoint woman to replace himself on city council

• Ken Tracy

Ken Tracy

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Ken Tracy is seriously considering naming a woman to fill the Mitchell City Council seat he will soon vacate.

“I am very much interested in that aspect of it,” Tracy said during an interview Tuesday with The Daily Republic.

He has compiled a “short list” of four possible candidates and three of them are women. He said he will “absolutely” give strong consideration to naming a woman to the seat and that will “weigh heavily” into his decision-making process.

All eight members of the council are men. The last woman to hold a council position was Geri Beck, who did not seek a second council term in 2011.

Tracy, who was himself first appointed to the council before winning three terms, was elected mayor on June 5. He will resign from the council before he takes the oath of office as mayor on July 2, replacing Lou Sebert, who did not seek a third term.

Tracy said he is still pondering if he should name a replacement to fill his seat in time for the July 2 meeting, or if he should wait until the July 16 meeting.

He said he may announce his choice at the July 2 meeting and have the new member of the council take office on July 16. The council has to vote to approve the mayor’s appointment.

He said he will probably interview three or four candidates before submitting his choice to the council, and he might ask Council President Jeff Smith to sit in on the interviews.

“Some of those I’m considering, they don’t even know they’re being considered,” Tracy said with a smile.

He said previous experience in elective office is not required for applicants, but he does want to see “some previous public service, like a service club” or something like that.

“Maybe a little bit of a test in public involvement,” Tracy said.

He has been surprised that no one is actively seeking the job.

“Everybody who follows things here knows I have to replace myself,” Tracy said. “I haven’t had my door beat down.”

The appointed council member will serve the remaining two years of Tracy’s term, according to Finance Officer Marilyn Wilson. No city election is scheduled for 2013.

Tags: election 2012, city council, news, updates, mitchell, local