Without public discussion or an opposing vote, the Oro Valley Town Council appointed Mary Snider to fill a vacant seat on the council last Friday.
Snider, who was elected to the council in Tuesday's primary election, will fulfill the term of Al Kunisch, who resigned from the council last month to spend more time with his wife who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Kunisch had previously said he would not run for re-election.
Snider will fill the vacancy until June 2, when the term expires. After that, Snider will be sworn in to serve her own four-year term on the council. A new mayor and two additional council members will be sworn at the same time. The remaining council and mayor seats will be determined in the general election scheduled for May 18.
The council made the decision to appoint Snider during a special session on March 12 following a closed session. Three of the council members attended the meeting remotely by telephone. Councilman Bill Garner was out of town on vacation, while members Barry Gillaspie and Pat Spoerl were in Washington, D.C., on a trip to lobby Southern Arizona's legislative caucus for federal funding for various town initiatives.
