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Oskaloosa council appoints Andy Holmberg to fill vacant seat
Summary
The Oskaloosa City Council voted 4-2 on June 2 to appoint longtime resident Andy Holmberg to complete a vacant council term through the end of 2025 after five applicants were considered.
The Oskaloosa City Council on Monday appointed Andy Holmberg to fill the council seat left vacant by Charlie Comfort, voting 4-2 after hearing brief presentations from three candidates.
Council members said they considered five applicants and then asked the candidates present to speak before making a nomination. Andy Holmberg, who described himself as a lifelong Oskaloosa resident and long-time volunteer, told the council he sought the appointment to continue serving the community.
The appointment fills the remainder of Charlie Comfort’s term through the end of the calendar year 2025. Council members had received five applications by the posted deadline; those applicants were listed in the meeting record as Wendell Campbell, Manny Garcia, Andy Holmberg, Nicholas Ryan and Cheryl Benson.
Nut graf: The council moved directly from public comment into considering the vacancy. Candidates who attended were given a brief opportunity to explain their interest. Council members asked about candidates’ approaches to conflict and whether they intended to run for election after completing the interim term.
Holmberg told the council he has lived in Oskaloosa for more than five decades and cited volunteer work and civic service as motivation for pursuing the seat. Manny Garcia and Nicholas (Nick) Ryan also addressed the council during the candidate presentations. Garcia said he had moved to Oskaloosa four years earlier and wanted to serve the community; Ryan emphasized his prior civic engagement and urged the council to consider his record.
After the presentations, a councilmember made the motion to appoint Holmberg and another councilmember seconded it. The council recorded a 4-2 vote in favor of the appointment and the mayor announced the motion carried.
The council did not establish additional conditions or amendments to the appointment at the meeting. The clerk recorded the outcome and the mayor said the newly appointed member would be contacted about next steps.
Ending: Council members thanked all applicants for putting their names forward. The newly appointed council member will serve the remainder of the year and may, as several candidates indicated, run in the regular election cycle if they choose.
