The Sweet Home City Council expected to appoint Susan Coleman to fill a vacancy on the council during its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Also on the agenda was a vote to appoint Thomas Herb Sr. to fill a vacancy on the Planning Commission.
The council interviewed three candidates for City Council on Feb. 16. During the interviews, the councilors rated each candidate.
“Based on their rankings, Susan was the clear first choice,” said City Manager Ray Towry. Similarly, Herb led council rankings for the Planning Commission during interviews held on Jan. 24.
The council is filling a vacancy left by Jeff Goodwin, who moved to Corvallis. Goodwin continues to work as an attorney for John Wittwer.
The Planning Commission had a vacancy when Ned Kilpatrick’s term expired on Dec. 31.
Applying for the council position were Coleman, Herb and Edith Wilcox.
Applying for the commission vacancy were herb, Bonnie Neal, Jeffrey McDermott, Kilpatrick and Theresa Brown. The council held off appointing anyone to the commission because Herb had also applied for council prior to the council interviews.
Coleman, who has lived in Sweet Home for more than 7 years, was among eight candidates who ran for four seats on the City Council in November.
In her application, Coleman told the council, “I can be a voice for the faith-based service organizations in town, and I can be a voice for parents of students in the community. I can bring a level-headed perspective to the City Council.’
Coleman is the director of women’s ministry at Hillside Fellowship, where her husband, Matt Coleman, is pastor. He hosts and co-leaders and interdenominational Bible study through a valley-wide nonprofit organization. She volunteers in the children’s ministry at Hillside, and she is the liaison for Sweet Home Emergency Ministries to the churches of Sweet Home. She has volunteered at the HOPE Center, Sweet Home Junior High School, Oak Heights Elementary and East Linn Christian Academy.
She said she has experience serving on governance boards and committees at the local church level and regional denominational levels. She also served on governance committees during college and high school.
She received her high school diploma from Centerville High School In Centerville, Ohio. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Christian education from Simpson University in Redding, Calif., and her master’s degree in intercultural studies from Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, N.Y.
The mother of four, Coleman lists her occupation as “home engineer,” someone who chooses not to work outside the home for a time to serve the whole family and help each member succeed.
Herb, who has lived in Sweet Home for two years and is retired, spent a year in planning in Halsey, he said in his application, and he has worked with real property for about 30 years, including work with river fronts and easements.