In the coming weeks, the Louisville Metro Council will be tasked with choosing a new council president and a new representative for District 10.
The incumbent for both positions, Jim King, died Wednesday night. He was first elected to the council in 2004 and was just selected for a fifth consecutive term as council president.
By state law, the council will have 30 days from Thursday to appoint a council member for District 10, which includes Buechel, Camp Taylor and Germantown.
The selected council member will serve until the general election in November. The winner of that election will serve “the remainder of the unexpired term of President King,” Jefferson County attorney Mike O’Connell said at a media briefing Thursday afternoon.
The term for the District 10 seat expires in 2016.
The process will soon get underway for selecting the person who'll fill the seat until the November election is held.
“The vacancy will be advertised by law, which is required to be done by the Louisville Metro Clerk,” O’Connell said.
Interested residents will have seven days to submit a resume, he said.
In the meantime, Councilman David James, like King a Democrat, will serve as interim president of the council, O’Connell said.
James is the current majority leader of the council and he will continue to serve as democratic caucus chair during his interim presidency. Madonna Flood serves as the caucus’ vice chair.
The council will have no “specific time limit” regarding selecting a new council president, O’Connell said.
“I think they are prepared to act pretty promptly, very promptly,” he added.
Until a new District 10 representative is selected, the council will consist of 25 members, meaning only 13 votes will be required for approval of legislative action, the county attorney said.
