Copperton appoints Linda McCallman to fill council vacancy; outgoing member David Olson honored

Copperton's council on Dec. 18 appointed Linda McCallman to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of council member David (Dave) Olson.

The process followed published rules: the town attorney outlined open‑meeting requirements and a five‑question rubric; two candidates — Linda McCallman and Harvey Seal — were interviewed in public. Each candidate answered the same set of questions in a timed sequence and councilors privately completed a scoring sheet; Nicole (the clerk) tallied scores and announced Linda as the top scorer.

Linda introduced herself during the interview as a long‑time Copperton resident whose ancestors settled in the late 1800s and said she was "honored" to participate in local decision making. "I fell in love with this town," she told the council, and said she would lean on experienced colleagues while learning municipal details. Harvey Seal also described prior service on local planning and improvement boards and emphasized experience working with state agencies.

Council moved and seconded Resolution 2024‑12‑12‑4 appointing Linda McCallman to serve through Dec. 31, 2025; the motion passed by voice vote. Linda was sworn in at the meeting.

Council then recognized outgoing member David Olson. Chief Mazarin of the Unified Police Department presented a plaque and thanked Olson for his service on council and regional boards; the council adopted a resolution of appreciation unanimously.

The appointment is interim until the next candidate filing and election calendar; councilors noted that the appointed trustee should consider whether to run in the next scheduled election cycle.