The Ironton City Council had a short special meeting on Thursday to appoint someone to fill a vacant seat.

The vacancy was because of the passing of Dave Frazer on March 17.

By statute, the council has to fill a vacancy within 30 days. If not, the mayor makes the selection.

Jim Tordiff was nominated and the council voted 5-0 to appoint him.

Vice Mayor Craig Harvey commented on why they chose Tordiff.

He said the council had 11 names of people interested in being a council member.

“That bodes well for our city; that are that many new faces, old faces, intermediate faces that are interested in our city,” Harvey said, adding that they appreciated and respected all those that wished to be considered.

But he said discussions, that the majority of the council felt that since the appointment was to fill the seat for seven months until the Nov. 11 election, they needed someone with experience rather than someone new that would need four months to catch up and learn the job.

“We also felt that our most pressing concern, as a council, is our budget,” Harvey said. “We felt that Mr. Tordiff stood out among all others as the assistant finance director at Dawson-Bryant, someone who has been mayor, as someone who has been on council, as someone who could immediately fulfill our need on that vacancy.”

Tordiff was not at the meeting.

Tordiff has worked in the public sector for the past four decades, serving as an Ironton City Councilman as well as the mayor, the city’s finance director, director of human resources for the Lawrence County Medical Center and treasurer for the Rock Hill school district before moving to the Dawson-Bryant district.

Harvey said the council means no disrespect intended toward the other candidates or anyone who intends to run for a council seat in the fall.

“It is needed in our city to have a lot of input and different ideas,” he said. “Your expressed interest is much appreciated by this body.”

The council will meet next on April 13 at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Ironton City Center.