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South Lake Tahoe council appoints Heather Han to fill vacant seat
Summary
After weeks of public testimony and a council short‑listing process, the City Council voted to appoint Heather Han to the vacant council seat and she was sworn in during the Dec. 1 meeting.
The City of South Lake Tahoe appointed Heather Han to fill a vacant seat on the City Council after she appeared on three councilmembers’ short lists and secured a motion to appoint. Han took the oath of office immediately after the council vote.
Han, a registered nurse who described a long career in community health, disaster preparedness and hospital administration, told the council she planned to focus on policy, preparedness and local health and safety if sworn. Several members of the public urged the council to appoint a candidate who had run in the last election; others pressed for a special election instead. Council members described weighing both the will of voters and the need for a functioning five‑member council.
Council discussion focused on process: members exchanged short lists of preferred candidates and agreed to appoint the applicant who had the most cross‑council support. The council then moved, seconded and approved an appointment; Heather Han was sworn in at the meeting and immediately took her seat.
The appointment restores the council to five members. Councilmembers and staff said the agenda will include follow‑up items on onboarding and any required filings for the remainder of the vacated term.
The council’s action was procedural: the vote recorded the appointment but did not change the date for the next election. The appointee and council members said the public will have an opportunity to evaluate the new member in the next regularly scheduled election cycle.
