Council to vote on filling 5th ward seat

FORT MADISON - The Fort Madison City Council will take action to fill a 5^th ward vacancy on the council Tuesday night.

Councilman Chad Cangas informed the council and Mayor Matt Mohrfeld on April 18^th that he was submitting his resignation effective May 15, which makes Tuesday’s council meeting his last meeting.

The council is voting Tuesday to post notice of the vacancy and fill it by either a special election within 90 days or by appointment within 60 days.

Mohrfeld said at the last meeting that the council would likely appoint a councilperson to fill the vacancy. Cangas’ seat would have come up for election on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Cangas purchased property near Donnellson and will no longer reside within the city limits, prompting the resignation.

Cangas said that he has someone who is interested in the position, but the council would do interviews with potential candidates before appointing someone to the seat.

A petition could be filed to force a special election to fill the seat.

In other action, the council:

• will consider approving an Urban Renewal Joint Agreement with Lee County regarding the property donated by the Glen Meller family. The county is looking to put the property in an urban renewal zone before construction of the Lee County Health Department.
• will consider a contract for $247,000 for upgrades to the Automated Weather Observing System at the Fort Madison Municipal Airport.