In the Press : Council Apointment

Ex-mayor back on council
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 01/11/2007 12:00:00 AM PST


GRAND TERRACE - The newest member of the City Council is a familiar political face.
Former Mayor Dan Buchanan was the unanimous choice Tuesday night to fill a vacant council seat.

Buchanan, who served on the council from 1994 to 2002, beat out seven other applicants for the appointment.

The 49-year-old attorney for a title insurance company will be sworn in Jan. 23.

"I'm coming in with a very small learning curve," Buchanan said Wednesday. "I know how the council works. I know all the basics. I felt I could make a valuable contribution."

Buchanan will finish the nearly two years left on Maryetta Ferre's council term. Ferre relinquished her council seat when she was sworn in as the city's first directly elected mayor in December.

Ferre said Buchanan has the knowledge and experience to do an effective job.

"I'm very pleased we could make a decision so we can go on and continue with the work we have started," Ferre said.

After serving nearly nine years on the council, Buchanan decided not to seek another term in 2002 because he wanted to devote more time to his job and family.

Now that his two children are in college, Buchanan is ready for politics again.

"Probably the most important thing to me is trying to help the city get on the right track in terms of positive economic development," he said.


The other applicants for the post were Matthew Addington, Doug Wilson, Lloyd Dodd, Robert Mendez, Charles Hornsby, Linda Duet and Jeremy Samson.