The process is underway to fill the vacancy on the Great Bend City Council created by the January resignation of Mike Zinn. At Monday night’s council meeting Mayor Mike Allison named a committee to review applicants for the seat.

Appointed to the committee were Allison and council members Vicki Berryman and Wayne Henneke. Although the council didn’t set an application deadline, the committee will soon begin to interview the candidates and hope to report back to the council with a recommendation at the Feb. 20 meeting.

The council has 60 days to fill the vacancy. 

Officials said there have been numerous applications for the position, which is a promising sign. Zinn won as a write-in candidate in April 2015 city election with nine votes.

Zinn served Ward I along with Berryman. The first ward covers the northeast corner of Great Bend east of Jefferson Street and north of Forest Avenue. 

Zinn announced his resignation when the council met Jan. 16, effective at the end of that meeting. He said he tried to make it to the end of his current term on the Great Bend City Council that ends in November, but that wasn’t in the cards.

He left to take a job in Manhattan. He became Great Bend native Steve Gotsche’s pro shop assistant at Colbert Hills Golf Club. 

“I’ve learned a lot,” from listing to the needs of constituents to working on the city’s budget, Zinn said. “I’ve learned just how hard all the city employees work. It’s a great group.”

Most people don’t realize all that has to happen behind the scenes, he said. “We’ve got good leadership.”

“I appreciate your help,” said Mayor Mike Allison. “You’ve been a good council person.”