An entirely different process will be used to fill the vacancy created by the death last week of Dawes County Commissioner Levi Grant than was used in April to fill the Chadron City Council seat left empty with the resignation of Keith Crofutt.
Both terms run through 2024, but the appointment by Mayor Mark Werner and approval by the council of George Klein to fill Crofutt’s seat runs only until the next council takes over in December.
The remaining two years of the term will be decided in the November election with the candidate filing period currently underway.
City Attorney and Deputy Dawes County Attorney Adam Edmund says Grant’s successor as county commissioner will serve the full 2-½ years and will be named by a special 3-member panel of elected county officials.
Edmund says it’s up to the panel – Vance Haug, Cheryl Feist, and Sam Wellnitz – to decide if they want to ask for applications or hold a meeting to interview interested individuals.
Memorial services for Levi Grant are this afternoon at 2:00 at the Dawes County Fairgrounds.