Lee Erwin reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville City Council is complete again after council members voted unanimously to appoint Michael (Kip) McNeill to represent the citizens of Ward 1 on the council. After the vote Mayor Kim McMillan announced the appointment of McNeill to the post of City Councilman.
Ward 1 encompasses the area in the upper Northwest corner of Clarksville near Fort Campbell. McNeill, who at age 20 is the youngest person ever to serve on the City Council, said he is a life long resident of North Clarksville and has lived in Ward 1 since 2004. He is a graduate of Youth Leadership Clarksville and Northwest High School.
Another candidate, John Leckrone, along with McNeill were the two applicants who qualified for the City Council seat after the resignation of former councilman Nick Steward. They both addressed the council on their qualifications and desire to be appointed as Ward 1 councilman at the council’s regular session on October 3.
McNeill told the council that he had been planning on running for the Ward 1 council position in the next election even if Steward had not resigned. McNeill’s appointment will finish the unexpired term of Steward who resigned September 4. McNeill will have to seek the council seat by voters in the November 2014 City Election.
After the announcement, McNeill talked about how he felt about being appointed to the City Council. “I’m definitely excited it’s a little surreal at this point. I’ve been planning toward this goal for a while. I look forward to being able to work and do some stuff that I’ve had in mind for the Ward,” McNeill said.