A special election to fill the Ward 1 vacancy on the Washington City Council is next Tuesday, with one candidate who currently serves as the chair of the city’s planning and zoning commission.

Deran DeLong is running against Bethany Glinsmann for the seat which represents the northwest quadrant of the city with a term ending in 2023. DeLong is a lifelong Washington resident and is a co owner of DeLong Construction, Inc. He has served on the planning and zoning commission for over a decade, and is an active member of First Baptist Church. He shares why he’s chosen to run for the council, “When this vacancy came up I was approached by several community members asking if I’d be interested in running and after much thought I decided that this might be a good way to serve the community in a little different capacity than what I had been doing. I felt the city could possibly benefit from some of my past experiences.”

DeLong hopes to follow in the footsteps of his father Larry and his son Brendan who have both previously served on the Washington City Council. Issues he feels should be tackled if elected include addressing housing shortages, continuing to enhance the downtown area, and further develop the Wellness Park to include a pond, trails, and other features to attract more residents. Only those living in Ward 1 can vote in this election, which can be done via absentee ballot anytime during business hours at the Washington County Auditor’s Office from now until 5 p.m. Monday, April 4th. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 5th at the Washington YMCA on West 5th Street, and mailed absentee ballots must be received by the auditor’s office no later than when the polls close Election Day. You can hear more from DeLong during Tuesday’s Halcyon House Washington Page on air and at kciiradio.com.