Luebbert files to serve as temporary councilman

Bill Luebbert and his wife, Verna, were ready to head to Florida this week for their annual snowbird vacation. They delayed the departure and have accelerated their return so Luebbert can answer the call to public service he received this week from friends on the Jefferson City Council.

On Thursday, Luebbert completed the state and city paperwork necessary to formally accept a nomination to serve as 4th Ward councilman for the next two months.

He is a former one-term councilman from the ward, who defeated current 4th Ward Councilman Carlos Graham in 2011 then lost to Graham in 2013.

"I'm 80 now, and I don't need all of those meetings and all those phone calls," Luebbert said. "But I am happy as can be to be asked to serve for this short period of time and to know the Council wants my help."

Indeed, he rearranged his winter trip to fulfill the technical aspects of the nomination - which was a two-minute piece of Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Councilmen Jim Branch and Rick Mihalevich nominated him and seconded that nomination, respectively, before the municipal legislators plunged into another 89 minutes of business.

Luebbert said he had been first approached by Councilman Rick Prather about the 4th Ward opening, which was created when incumbent Glen Costales abruptly resigned in November to care for a brother in hospice. Ron Fitzwater, Leonard Steinman and Charles Jackson have filed as candidates for the one-year term vacated by Costales and will oppose each other in the April 4 municipal election.

According to the Jefferson City code, Tuesday's meeting was the first occasion on which a temporary replacement could be proposed by Council members, who will vote to fill the office at their Feb. 6 meeting. The code also stipulates a public forum occur before such an election. City counselor Ryan Moehlman said that forum would be scheduled either before or during the Feb. 6 meeting.

Mayor Carrie Tergin said she was surprised by Branch's nomination of Luebbert, with whom she served during her years as a councilwoman. "I had not heard that was in the works," Tergin said. "But Bill will be a wonderful addition to the Council for the couple of months between now and the April election."