Shelby City Council added a new member to its ranks on Monday evening when council unanimously voted to name Steve McLaughlin councilmember-at-large.
McLaughlin fills the vacancy declared by council at their Jan. 5 meeting, a vacancy created by the Dec. 31 appointment of Steve Schag as Shelby’s new mayor. Schag stated he had previously served with McLaughlin and described him as a good man.
“I think Mr. McLaughlin is very capable, he’s a man of keen intellect, stellar character and common sense, and I think he’ll serve the citizens of Shelby very well,” said Schag.
McLaughlin has served the city of Shelby in many capacities throughout the past 12 years. He previously served on Shelby City Council in 1996 and 1997 for the fourth ward, and on the Shelby Board of Education from 2010 to 2013. He also served four years as an auxiliary policeman for the Shelby Police Department in the early 1990s and has served in the military for the past 30 years.
“I enjoy serving, and I enjoy participating,” said McLaughlin. “I love my community, and there was a need to help out and I like to be involved.”
Council interviewed McLaughlin in a committee of the whole session earlier on Monday, a part that McLaughlin said he was nervous about. But according to Councilmember Harold Shasky, vice president pro tempore of council, McLaughlin answered every question very nicely.
“He’s served on council, he’s served on school board before, he’s a military person, so he’s done all this before and I think that’s going to make him a very good candidate,” said Shasky.
McLaughlin will officially be sworn in on Friday, and serve his first Shelby Council meeting in February.
“I’m just proud to be able to serve and to be a part of making sure that Shelby continues to be a great place to live,” he said.
