The Champaign City Council will meet tonight to vote on nine resolutions, one of which will decide who will fill the vacancy on the City Council.

The Champaign City Council will meet tonight to vote on nine resolutions, one of which will decide who will fill the vacancy on the City Council.

There are currently eight council members; there has been a vacancy on the council since early March.

The vacancy was created when former council member Dave Johnson left his position to pursue another job in Cleveland.

There were three applicants for the City Council position, Gordy Hulten, Tim Wild, and Cathy Emmanuel.

Each of the candidates were given a chance to speak at a city council meeting, where they expressed their interest in the position as well as spoke about their qualifications.

Hulten said he feels confident going into tonight’s meeting and said that he still sees himself as the most qualified candidate.

As far as tonight’s agenda is concerned, Hulten said the most important resolution concerns Olympian Drive.

He added that should he be chosen for the council position because he will be prepared to vote yes on the resolution.

Hulten said that Olympian Drive has been central to transport planning for years

Tim Wild said he is feeling good going into tonight’s meeting as well.

“I’m fairly confident,” he said.

Wild said all the candidates bring something unique and different and his is the experience he has had working in the city.

Wild also said the Olympian Drive resolution is important to him, and should he be chosen he will be prepared to vote on it and the other resolutions on tonight’s agenda.

Emmanuel said she is hopeful about her appointment as she prepares for tonight’s meeting.

She said that she is a newcomer to local government but the selection process has made her more knowledgeable about what is needed in a city council member.

Emmanuel added that she believes all of the candidates are qualified and that no matter who is picked the city will have an eligible council member.

Council member Micheal LaDue said he will not be voting on the appointment to the council.

LaDue said he is almost never decided to opt out of this kind of vote, but he feels strongly about the fact that two of the candidates have never voted in local elections, and that one of the candidates is a vocational journalist.

The City Council will meet tonight at 7pm and the appointment of the new council member is the first resolution to be voted on in tonight’s agenda.