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Duluth council appoints Deborah DeLuca to fill Second District vacancy
Summary
After interviews with three finalists, the Duluth City Council voted unanimously to appoint Deborah DeLuca to the Second District seat. The appointment followed closed interviews and a roll-call vote; some public speakers criticized the speed of the selection process and lack of a prior public comment opportunity.
The Duluth City Council unanimously appointed Deborah DeLuca to fill the City Council Second District vacancy, voting to adopt Resolution 0649 during the council meeting after interviewing three finalists.
The council interviewed candidates Craig Bursch, Deborah DeLuca and Janet Nelson in a personnel session earlier in the meeting. After the interviews the council moved to amend and then adopt Resolution 0649, inserting DeLuca’s name. The roll-call vote was recorded as all present voting yes.
Councilors cited the candidates’ experience and readiness to step into a short-term council role while noting the coming 2026 budget work. Councilor comments during the interviews stressed attention to core city services, housing and transportation matters; candidates answered questions about the budget, tenant protections, housing density and the crisis response team.
Several members of the public criticized the council’s timetable and process for filling the vacancy. Eleanor Dolan, speaking during citizens’ comments, said, “There was no public comment period,” and argued the rapid turnaround between interviews and the council’s vote left constituents without a meaningful opportunity to weigh in. The chair and clerk explained the personnel interview step and the subsequent council roll call process used to fill the seat.
The council’s procedural record shows the selection was finalized during the same meeting as the interviews. City staff and the clerk confirmed the appointment must be moved out of the consent agenda and formally amended into the resolution before the council’s vote.
The appointee will serve the remainder of the vacated term; the council did not set or announce any further administrative dates tied to the appointment during the meeting.
