Four finalists to interview for vacant City Council seat

The Madison City Council identified four finalists Monday night, which will each interview Wednesday night for the District 7 seat vacated by State Sen. Bill Holtzclaw.

Gordon Brown, Amanda Holland, Ronica Ondocsin and Derrick Rains are vying for the seat vacated by then-President Holtzclaw, who stepped down to take his position in the State Senate.

Each candidate will interview Wednesday, Dec. 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Each interview will last approximately 45 minutes.

Interviews are open to the public, although no one will be allowed to enter the room once each interview begins.

Council President Tommy Overcash said he hopes to have a nomination and a vote on the new member by the Dec. 20 meeting.

In other actions:

—Council President Tommy Overcash swore in two new firefighters to the Madison Fire and Rescue.

—The council approved the annual appropriation to the Madison Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $51,300.

—The council rejected all bids submitted for new uniforms for the Madison Fire Department and authorized a rebid for the purchase.

—Approved an agreement between the city and the Madison City Board of Education in the amount of $75,467.99 for crossing guards at each of the system’s schools.

—Declared the sinkhole situation in connection with Gillespie Road/Hughes Road project as an emergency and approved Geo Solutions LLC to perform emergency repairs due to the sinkhole in an amount not to succeed $75,000.

—The council extended the half-cent education sales tax three years to 2027.