By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Pelham resident Ron Scott will serve on the Pelham City Council until November after he was appointed by Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley to fill the council seat vacated by Mike Dickens.

The appointment came a little more than a month after the current four members of the City Council said they were unable to agree on who should fill the open spot, which has been vacant since early January.

Scott is the executive director of the Economic Development Association of Alabama.

After council members were unable to agree on a candidate, they sent a list of 10 candidates to Bentley’s office. Bentley then reviewed the list before announcing his appointment.

“I appreciate your willingness to serve in this position, and I am confident that your time will be spent in a matter to improve the state of Alabama,” Bentley wrote in a letter to Scott. “You are a servant of the people of Alabama, and I trust that you will fulfill your duties and set a standard for others to follow.”

During his Feb. 13 interview with the City Council, Scott said he has been living in Pelham for about seven years, and said he was concerned about “retail leakage to other communities.”

Scott also said he would like to see a Pelham-based business alliance and online Pelham business directory. Scott said he would be willing to run for a spot on the City Council during this summer’s elections.

“I would like to make certain this is a good place to live, work and play,” Scott said during the interview. “We owe it to ourselves to seek out the best practices of other communities and use those as a guide.”

In a press release, Pelham Mayor Don Murphy said he “looks forward to working with” Scott.

“I expect many great things for our city, and with the support of this council, we can start bringing some of them to fruition,” Murphy wrote. “I appreciate the time and attention Governor Bentley gave to his decision. I know he wants Pelham to continue to be a vital part of Shelby County and the state.”