Jim Meacham was sworn in as Pleasant Grove's newest City Council member on Tuesday.

Meacham will fill the five-month interim position left by Councilman Darold McDade, who vacated his position July 30 to become a 4th District Court judge.

Council members had considered leaving the position open until the Nov. 6 municipal election. Meacham is not running for the office but has been a planning commissioner for five years. He was Planning Commission chairman until he was chosen to sit on the council.

"I am very humbled by their decision," Meacham said. "There were very good people running, and it just humbles me."

Eight Pleasant Grove residents applied for the position, and were interviewed Tuesday night, including George Church, Melissa Finch, Richard Ables, Barbara Wells, Peter Bowen, Erin Daniel and Jeffrey Wilson, as well as Meacham.

"The council faced a tough choice," said Mayor Mike Daniels. "We have faced it before, and to have this many qualified people apply for this position really shows an attitude of service in the community."

"I think that the experience that the Planning Commission has given me will help me in this position," Meacham said. "I understand the conducting of meetings, the citizen's needs and some of the issues our city is facing."

Meacham said his position on the Planning Commission allows him to transition to the council well.

"I will be able to quickly assess the situations and responsibly make a decision," he said. "I can come up to speed and make a decision, and I can be productive in the five-month period.

"It is a time of real growth in the city, and I see that as something I would like to work with. There are so many exciting areas of growth."

Meacham will hold his new council seat until Jan. 7, when the position will be filled by general election. Six of the eight candidates who applied for the interim position are running for the election to fill the position in January.

Meacham and his wife Jocelyn have six children and have lived in Pleasant Grove for 10 years. Meacham works as a civil engineer and has been in the field for more than 20 years.

Pleasant Grove City plans to fill Meacham's Planning Commission seat at its Tuesday meeting.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C1.