Storm Lake council interviews four candidates, seeks successor quickly

The Storm Lake City Council conducted a public special meeting on December 12 to hear from four residents vying to fill the council seat opening created by Meg McKeon moving from council to mayor. The interviews took place at 5 p.m. in council chambers and were streamed on the city website, providing residents with access to deliberations as the council prepares to choose a successor at a follow up meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday December 15.

McKeon won last month by mounting a write in mayoral campaign and is due to be sworn in on January 1. Her resignation from the council takes effect December 31, creating a vacancy that the council must fill under state law within 60 days. Council members voted last month to appoint a replacement rather than call a special election, citing an estimated cost of roughly 5,000 dollars. Residents retain the right to petition for a special election within 14 days of any appointment should they prefer a ballot decision.

The four applicants interviewed were Matthew Ricklefs, a Central Bank employee and current council member who did not seek re election; Dalton Walker, an employee at Buena Vista University and a member of the Planning and Zoning Board; Charles Hernandez, who works in wastewater maintenance at Tyson Turkey and is a long time Storm Lake resident and community organizer; and Ricky Wimer, a retired property management executive and president of the Storm Lake Kiwanis Beavers. Each candidate emphasized local priorities including balanced budgeting, housing and daycare access, reflecting community diversity, and needed capital improvements.

The council faces a practical choice that combines continuity and responsiveness. An appointment allows the council to fill the seat quickly and avoid immediate election costs, while residents retain a pathway to demand a public vote. For Buena Vista County this decision will influence council votes on budgets and infrastructure in the coming year, and it will affect how well the council reflects the citys demographic and economic realities.

Residents who want to observe the follow up meeting can do so in council chambers or via the city website stream. The council may move to appoint one of the four applicants on December 15 to complete the remainder of McKeon s term, shaping Storm Lake governance into 2026.