VALLEY — Jim Clark was named the new city council member for the City of Valley during Monday night’s meeting. Clark was chosen in a 5-1-1 vote Monday evening over Bo Colley and Joe Foster.

The three candidates qualified for the position and spoke to the council about why they wanted to represent District One at the Feb. 11 meeting. Each one was at a council work session last Thursday to see how such sessions were conducted.

At the previous meeting, Clark said that he’d done work for Georgia Quick Start and had been in communities similar to Valley all over Georgia.

“I love this area and am proud to be from here,” he said. “I admire the way residents of the local area support Valley Haven School and storm relief efforts. I’m especially pleased for Valley to have been selected the best city in the state (by Wall Street 24/7), and I think it’s something we can build on. I would like to see us look like the best city in the state. We have some work to do in cleaning up litter in the city. I will be outspoken on this should you choose me to represent the District. I appreciate what Jimmy Gilson has done on this.”

Clark is succeeding Paul Story as the District One council member. Story gave up the seat shortly before he was sworn in as Chambers County probate judge in mid-January. Ironically, Story will be the one swearing in Clark at the next regular council meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 11.

A ballot with three names on it and a box beside each name was included in Monday’s council member packet.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Mayor Leonard Riley said as the vote was taken.

Each council member marked their ballot, folded it and handed it to City Clerk/Treasurer Cathy Snowden to be counted. The results showed five votes for Clark and one each for Colley and Foster.

“There are no losers here tonight,” Riley said. “There were three good candidates in this race, and we appreciate each one of you having put your name in the hat.”

Clark will fill out Story’s remaining term. The next municipal election will be in August 2020, or 18 months from now.