The Grand Junction City Council appointed a new council member after voting out another one.

City Clerk Katrina Buttler says the Council held a special meeting on December 15th and appointed Michelle Hillman to the council, after former Councilmember Brian Mount was removed.

The Council held a special hearing in October and voted unanimously to remove former Councilmember Brian Mount. The Council heard about an incident that Buttler had filed an affidavit about a conversation Mount had with her following a council meeting on May 24th. After the Council voted to approve an alcohol permit for the Mason Jar, which Mount is the owner, and contingent upon approval of a health and fire inspection.

However, Buttler said she was going to submit a “no” on the permit to the Iowa Alcohol Beverage Division and she said Mount wanted her to mark “yes.” According to Iowa Code, with the removal of Mount from the Council, it created a vacancy.

Buttler adds Hillman will fill the remaining two years of the term, which ends December 31, 2023. At the January 10th meeting, Mayor Gerald Herrick appointed Hillman as Mayor Pro-Tem.