Owensboro City Commissioners working to fill vacant seat

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - Owensboro City Commissioners are holding special meetings Monday and Tuesday to fill the vacant seat left after the passing of Larry Maglinger.

[Previous story: Owensboro officials announce passing of City Commissioner]

Officials say 30 people applied to fill Maglinger’s old seat.

Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson says 15 people will be interviewed Monday, and the other 15 will come in Tuesday, then, the commissioners will hold a closed session and select a candidate.

Officials say whoever they choose will be sworn in and serve for the rest of the year.

In November, there will be a special election. Whoever wins that will serve as a city commissioner for the rest of Maglinger’s term, which will expire at the end of 2024.

Watson says they’ll ask all the candidates the same few questions, in the interest of fairness.

“Unlike the fiscal court where you have east, west and central, when you’re an elected official in the city, you’ve got the whole city,” Watson said. “You can’t just concentrate on the west end, or the south end or the east end.”

The candidates the commissioners determine is the strongest from the Monday session will be invited back Tuesday, when the rest of the candidates interview.

The candidate will need 75% of the vote to win, since only four people are serving on the commission right now.

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