Lebanon council appoints Jennifer Harper to fill vacant seat; sworn in at meeting

The Lebanon City Council voted to appoint Jennifer Harper to the council seat left vacant by Brighton Smith and administered the oath of office at its Jan. 28, 2025, meeting.

Under Resolution 2025-021, approved by roll call, Harper will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, through Dec. 1, 2027. Council members moved and seconded the resolution and then swore Harper into office in the chamber.

The appointment drew public questions about how the council fills vacancies. Resident Janice McPherson asked the council how it vetted candidates and why appointees serve the full unexpired term rather than until the next election. A staff member read Section 2.03 of the city charter, saying, “Any vacancy in the council shall be filled within 30 days by a vote of a majority of the remaining members of council” and that the charter specifies the person so chosen “shall serve the balance of the unexpired term.”

Council members described the local process used in this instance. Mayor Messer and other members said they had reached out individually to prospective candidates. Councilmember Jack (surname in transcript: Sellers) said the council had multiple candidates and that, in Harper’s case, members had known her and had “a thorough conversation” before advancing her nomination. Another council member said the council looks for an appointee with values similar to the predecessor so the seat reflects voters’ prior choice.

After the vote, Harper repeated the oath, signed documents and spoke briefly, thanking the community and noting she and her family have lived in Lebanon for about 20 years. Harper said she does not take the appointment lightly and pledged to “make him proud” in reference to the outgoing council member.

Public comment at the meeting also included a speaker from Cedar Woods who asked why a prior traffic decision affecting Cedar Woods 4 was decided against neighborhood preferences. The council asked the speaker to submit the questions by email so staff could respond in detail.

Harper’s appointment was one of several matters on a packed agenda that evening, including zoning changes, plats, equipment purchases and budgeted program approvals. Council members urged residents to attend a city infrastructure project community meeting the next day and noted the Citizens Academy registration was open.

Votes at the meeting were recorded by roll call; the resolution to appoint Harper passed by majority roll call. The council moved into an executive session later in the evening to discuss property matters and competitive bidding.