River Heights Council appoints Mark Malmstrom to fill vacant seat

The River Heights City Council appointed Mark Malmstrom to fill a vacant council seat and administered his oath of office at its Jan. 21 meeting.

Council members held interviews with four applicants before settling on Malmstrom. Dallas Arnel withdrew his application during the public interview period and asked the council to consider Malmstrom. The other applicants who addressed the council were Chris Cannon and Keenan Ryan; Cannon spoke about his project-management and military background, and Ryan said he currently serves on the planning and zoning commission. After the council tallied its votes, Sheila Lind, the city recorder, swore Malmstrom in at the meeting.

The appointment covers the remainder of the council’s current one-year interim appointment, the mayor explained during the meeting, citing state law that governs fillings of midterm municipal vacancies. The mayor said that because more than two years remain on the original four‑year term, the person appointed tonight will serve only for the current year; the seat will be on the ballot this year for a two‑year term, after which the four‑year rotation resumes.

Malstrom, who told the council he has lived in River Heights about 14 years and previously served three years on the city’s planning and zoning commission, said he sought the council position because he wants to help manage development pressures and “take care of the needs of the citizens.”

The council did not record a roll-call vote in the public transcript; the meeting record shows council members completed private ballots and then swore in Malmstrom at the table.

The council thanked all four applicants for their willingness to serve.