Superior's City Council is set to decide between two candidates to finish the first year of former City Councilor Graham Garfield.
Garfield resigned from the Council shortly after the April election, following a community backlash when he was charged in a domestic incident. On May 16, the Council decided to open up the seat to all interested and set the requirements for the appointment.
Tylor Elm, a businessman and candidate for the 6th District seat in April, and Kara Schmidt, a Superior Days delegate who served in student government at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, stepped forward for an opportunity to serve.
Elm sought the seat in the last election and lost by one vote. Schmidt didn't run for the seat because she was engaged to Garfield at the time.
In addition to a writing a letter of interest, candidates were asked to seek nominating signatures - as would be required for an elected official to get on the ballot. Both candidates exceeded to 20 signatures required to get on the ballot.
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Elm said he decided to use the opportunity to gauge the level of support in the 6th District for his candidacy. He collected 232 signatures supporting his appointment to the Council, with help, more signatures than 141 votes he captured in the April 4 election.
Schmidt, on her own, gathered more than twice as many signatures that were required by the Council.
"I believe that I am a great fit for the Council," said Schmidt, in her letter of interest to the council. "I have attended more than half the council meetings over the past two years, and additionally attended the convening of several committees."
She said her past relationship with Garfield provided her with a unique level of access to city issues; she's also had the opportunity to work with the Parks and Recreation Commission on the Superior dog park project.
Elm said nothing has changed from his campaign until now, and he plans to push for the agenda that he promised constituents when he ran for office earlier this year.
"I want to help grow Superior's economy with new job opportunities, promote affordable housing initiatives, housing redevelopment and new housing starts, guide others in need through the Belknap Street project, and do my part to strengthen ... public health and safety," Elm wrote in his letter of interest.
The Council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Room 201 of the Government Center.
