Mayor Jay Vavricek has recommended Vaughn Minton for appointment as the City Council Ward 1 representative.
The recommendation will be part of the upcoming City Council meeting on Monday, March 26.
If city council approves his recommendation, Minton will take the oath of office at the April 3 city council study session with service extending through December 2014.
Minton serves as the strategic planning director for Saint Francis Medical Center.
He is a board member for the Central Plains Chapter of the American Red Cross, graduate of Leadership Tomorrow and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and the UM4GI Parish Council.
Minton and his wife, LaNae, have been residents of Grand Island for 20 years. LaNae is an educator at Engelman Elementary School.
They have three grown children, two of whom graduated from Northwest High School, and six grandchildren.
Minton stated, “I am honored to be recommended as the next city council member to represent Ward 1. I look forward to working with Mayor Vavricek, city council members, and city staff to make Grand Island an even better place to live.”
Mayor Vavricek said, "Vaughn's lifetime experience in the private sector while raising a family will be an added strength to council policy making decisions. I know Vaughn will be a strong comprehensive leader, knows what life in Grand Island is all about, and I'm confident he will work well with each council member and successfully represent the people of Grand Island."
The selection process to fill the City Council Ward 1 vacancy included an advisory committee conducting a personal interview with each applicant.
The advisory committee was comprised of City Council President Peg Gilbert and both Ward 1 city council members Bob Niemann and Randy Gard. The committee then extended an appraisal for the Mayor's consideration.
Mayor Vavricek and City Administrator Mary Lou Brown also interviewed each candidate before the Mayor’s final recommendation was made to city council.
A vacancy was created for City Council Ward 1 when Randy Gard submitted his resignation citing new and expanded employment demands as the reason to discontinue service as a councilmember.
