CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council is looking for two new members to fill unexpired terms for council members who resigned last week.

On Thursday, Richard Garrett of Ward 1 resigned following the announcement of two lawsuits filed against him by the State of Tennessee for living outside his ward.

On Friday, Jason Knight of Ward 5 resigned from both the council and his District 18 Montgomery County Commission seat after damage to his home and harassment forced him and his family to move. The new home is outside District 18. While the address is still in council Ward 5, Knight told Clarksville Now the events led him to the decision to step down.

Mayor Joe Pitts this week outlined the steps the council will take to fill the vacancies.

“The charter is specific in how we must go about filling the vacancies, so we look forward to the process unfolding over the coming weeks,” Pitts said in a news release. “I’m sure there are some qualified citizens in Wards 1 and 5 who will be interested in applying for these appointments.”

The vacancies will be filled by a majority vote of the City Council. The two appointed members will serve until the next city election in November 2022. Garrett was elected to a four-year term in 2018, and Knight was elected to a four-year term in 2020, so Ward 1 voters in 2022 will choose a candidate to fill a full four-year term, and voters in Ward 5 will choose a candidate to fill the seat until November 2024, for the remainder of the unexpired term, the release said.

Qualifications and application

A City Council member must be a resident of the City of Clarksville; be at least 18; have resided in the city for 12 months; and reside in and be qualified to vote in the ward to which they seek appointment.

Qualified applicants must appear before the council on Sept. 2 to make a brief statement about their desire to serve – including their background, education, training, employment, military service, volunteer work, and other matters – and they may answer questions from council members, the release said.

Within 14 days after, the mayor will call a council meeting for a vote.

For more information on applicant qualifications, go to https://bit.ly/3iD13Et

To learn more about the procedure to fill a City Council vacancy, go to https://bit.ly/3rwWPlD