Unalaska, AK – Roger Rowland has been appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Unalaska City Council.

The council voted 4-2 in favor of Rowland at Tuesday night's meeting. He will complete Joanna Aldridge's term, which ends in October.

Rowland was one of three people to submit letters of interest for the position, which Aldridge announced she was vacating at the February 13 council meeting. He says he had considered running for council last October, but missed the filing deadline, and will put himself up for election this coming fall.

"Even if I had not been picked tonight, I was planning to run in October," Rowland said. "I'd have to pick someone to run against, which isn't always easy when you know the people on [the council], but [now] I will be running to retain this seat."

Rowland is a local machine shop owner and a fisherman, and has lived in Unalaska for two decades. He's also active in the soapbox derby, but otherwise hasn't been involved in running community organizations or local government in Unalaska.

That set him apart from the other interested candidates, Chris Bobbitt and David Gregory. Bobbitt currently serves on the city's planning and zoning board, as well as on Unalaska Community Broadcasting's board of directors. Gregory, who currently works for the Ounalashka Corporation and previously was Unalaska's fire chief, has also served on local boards.

Council member Juanita Lewis put forward the motion to appoint Rowland. She said his lack of experience in local politics was a strength in that it would bring a fresh perspective to the council.

Council members Kris Flanagan and Dick Peck voted against Rowland's appointment. Peck was elected in October after being passed over for a council appointment under similar circumstances in June, when the council voted to appoint Rocky Caldero, who also had no previous experience in local policymaking.

Peck and Flanagan both said today that they believed Gregory was the most qualified candidate for the seat.