John Yeager will join the borough assembly after securing an appointment Tuesday, June 9, during the regular meeting at City Hall.

The decision fills a vacancy created in May when Assembly Member Michael Ottesen resigned with five months remaining on his term. Under municipal code, a majority vote from the mayor and remaining assembly members is required to fill a vacancy.

Yeager and Tony Haubrich were the only residents to submit letters of interest for the position. The assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of Yeager, with Assembly Member David Powell casting the lone vote for Haubrich.

Accepting the new role required Yeager to step down from his position as a port commissioner, after serving on the commission for 16 years.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Yeager said. “I really enjoyed my time on the port commission, but I’m leaving knowing it’s in good hands.”

Because of his resignation, a vacancy now exists on the port commission. Residents interested in serving must submit a letter of intent to the borough clerk’s office by 4 p.m. Friday, June 19. The assembly is scheduled to vote June 23 to fill the vacancy.

The new port commission member would serve until the Oct. 6 municipal election, when voters will decide who fills the last two full years of Yeager’s three-year term.

Yeager said he views the next four months as a trial period and is undecided on whether he will campaign to keep the assembly seat in the October municipal election.

“I just want to get my feet wet in the next few months and just get a better feel for what the assembly is like and be a part of the good things they’re doing for Wrangell,” he said. “If I can’t do that, then I shouldn’t fill the seat.”

Yeager’s term on the assembly will end in October, just as Ottesen’s term would have ended.

For residents looking to run for a full assembly term in the October election, the candidate filing period opens Aug. 3 and closes Aug. 31.