Four local residents are in the running for an open seat on the Powell City Council.

A seat representing Ward 2 became vacant in June with the passing of longtime Councilman Floyd Young. Voters will choose a replacement in next year’s general election, but in the meantime, the remaining council members need to decide who will fill the seat through 2026.

The city accepted letters of interest through Tuesday evening and wound up receiving submissions from five people, City Clerk Tiffany Brando said Wednesday.

One of the applicants was ineligible for the office, as they hadn’t lived in Ward 2 for a full year, Brando said. The ward includes all city residents west of Division Street.

Brando declined to release the names of the candidates on Wednesday morning, mentioning they had yet to be provided to Mayor John Wetzel.

Wetzel was out of town on Wednesday, but he previously told the Tribune that he planned to have a small committee — made up of himself, Ward 2 Councilman Zane Logan and another council member — interview the applicants. The committee would then make a recommendation to the full council, which is tasked with making the appointment.

In essence, “it’s a mayoral appointment” with council approval, Wetzel previously said of the process.Brando said the tentative plan is for the council to appoint a new Ward 2 representative at its Monday, Aug. 4 meeting.

Their pick will replace Young, who served the city as a councilman for over 16 years. His colleagues fondly recalled him as someone who was committed to Powell.

Young, who was 84, had just been elected to a fifth term last fall. The person chosen by the council will have the option of running for the seat in next year’s election.