Hussey Gets Unanimous Council Support

Grand Terrace will have a new councilmember after the City Council voted unanimously on one candidate to fill a vacancy on the dais. William "Bill" Hussey was appointed at the Jan. 13 meeting to fill the vacancy left by Mayor Darcy McNaboe when she was elected as the city's mayor last November. "I'm honored that the council had faith in me," Hussey said by phone last week. "I want to do what's best for the city and I'm ready to dive in, full force." Hussey and two other candidates, Becky Giroux and Thomas Schwab, appeared before the council at the Jan. 13 meeting to explain why they should be selected to the seat. After a proposed vote for Giroux split the council 2 to 2, Hussey was proposed and then approved by a unanimous vote. Hussey has lived in Grand Terrace for 25 years and is a corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In his application for the seat, Hussey said, "I want to give back and help maintain the foundation that makes this city great. I want present and future generations to be proud to call Grand Terrace home. I want to be part of the team." Hussey told the council he wanted "to see this city thrive." Hussey ran in the November election but lost to Councilman Doug Wilson by 89 votes. Hussey said he was grateful to all the residents of Grand Terrace - no matter how they voted. "I'm humbled," Hussey said. "Doug and I ran a clean campaign. In the end, I am glad that I got to be a part of this team. I had a lot of people backing me, and I built a rapport with a lot of people. I'm grateful now that (the city) is giving me this opportunity." Six residents filed applications to be considered for the vacant seat, but two withdrew their names and a third did not attend the council meeting last week, where each candidate responded to five questions posed by city councilors and provided a closing statement. Hussey's priorities as a councilman include a balanced budget and a focus on parks and public safety through collaboration with local law enforcement. "We need to make sure the city is sovereign, and we all need to work together with staff and all city employees," said Hussey. Heavily involved in community youth sports programs, Hussey said he would like to one day see a sports complex and/or recreational center in the city, and pointed to increased community development as the key to Grand Terrace's self-sufficiency. "I want to see growth, but the correct growth," Hussey said. Hussey said he was thankful to residents for their support, and will work towards "keeping this city grand." He will be sworn in to the seat at the Jan. 27 city council meeting.