Although it took two special call meetings, the Albany City Council has chosen a familiar individual to serve out an unexpired term on the city’s governing body.

Leland Hicks was officially elected on a voice vote by the council on Monday morning, March 14. All five council members were on hand for that brief, less than five minute, special session.

Hicks will fill out the remainder of the term (approximately eight months from the time of his swearing in) that was left vacant due to the passing of Gene Ferrill.

Ferrill, a former long-time jailer and businessman in Clinton County, was serving in his second term on the council at the time of his passing late last month.

The incoming councilman will bring a lot of experience to the table, as he has served several terms at different times on the Albany City Council and knows the ins and outs of city business and how each department operates.

Hicks, now retired, was a long time employee of the telephone company and served under different mayoral administrations during his previous terms on the city council.

During a special meeting last week, the council each submitted a ballot . The ballots were counted outside of public view. It was announced then that Hicks had received the majority of ballots at that time among the four persons who had been nominated.

However, one council member raised a procedural complaint about how the votes were counted, and sought an opinion from the legal department of the Kentucky League of Cities, which prompted a second meeting in which an actual voice vote was taken this past Monday.

During that abbreviated meeting, with only one item of business, that being to “deal with supposed issues surrounding the recent appointment to fill the council member seat,” Councilman Reed Sloan moved to appoint Hicks to fill the vacant seat/unexpired term.

Sloan’s motion passed by a 3-2 vote, with council members Tonya Thrasher and Steve Lawson also voting in favor and council members Sarah Wilson-Browning and Joe Stockton voting no.

In addition to Hicks, the other nominees being considered by the council to fill the unexpired term were Frankie Stockton, Randy Speck and Allen Smith.

Hicks will officially be sworn into office prior to the city council’s next regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, at 5 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting is open to the general public.