Walcott council appoints Joe Quick to vacant seat; special election option outlined

Mayor Jacob Puck and the Walcott City Council appointed Joe Quick to fill a vacant council seat during their Jan. 19 meeting at Walcott City Hall. The council voted to appoint Quick by motion of Councilmember Lisa Mengler, seconded by Councilmember Kirk Koberg, and Mayor Puck administered the oath of office that evening.

Clerk Lisa Rickertsen told the council that residents have 14 days after an appointment to file a petition requesting a special election to fill the seat. She said the city had an estimate of about $5,000 for a special election and that, if a petition were received, the city could potentially place the election on the March 3 school-election ballot to reduce costs.

Several residents addressed the council during public comment about the process. Joe Aubry said he saw no immediate necessity for a full council but expressed support for holding a special election; Mengler said the city typically appoints to avoid leaving a seat vacant and to keep another voice available for decision-making. Two applicants — Joe Quick and Megan McKibbin — answered questions from councilmembers before the appointment vote.

The appointment closes the vacancy that council members said has been known since November and was noted in the Dec. 1 minutes. The council did not vote on holding a special election; the next step depends on whether a petition is filed with the clerk within the 14-day window.