The Vineyard City Council has filled its vacant seat after a councilwoman stepped down earlier this month.

In a 3-2 vote, the council selected Brett Clawson as its newest member in a special meeting Wednesday night.

Clawson, a Vineyard resident since 2018, said his priorities include advancing transportation improvements, supporting community programs and fostering economic development to improve the tax base. He said he has experience serving on an HOA board.

“I’m committed to dedicating the time to ensure that I fulfill the council’s responsibilities but also proactively bring forward solutions that address the needs of our evolving community,” Clawson said in his candidate presentation.

Clawson replaces Councilwoman Amber Rasmussen, who announced her resignation Nov. 6, citing family circumstances. Rasmussen was permitted to vote on her replacement Wednesday night.

Clawson will serve the remainder of Rasmussen’s term through December 2025.

There were 17 candidates who attended Wednesday’s meeting and presented to the council. Kimberly Olsen was the runner-up to the nominee, receiving two votes from the council.

Later in the meeting, a resolution to authorize the city staff to begin a Request for Proposal process for a potential city hall was discussed and ultimately passed in a 4-1 vote by the council.

“This marks the beginning of a thoughtful process to ensure that any decision about the city hall reflects the best interests of Vineyard’s residents,” Mayor Julie Fullmer said in a release. “We’re excited to invite the community to participate as we explore this opportunity.”

The proposed city hall is estimated to be a $30 million project that will be split between the city, the Mountainland Association of Governments and potential lessees in the building, City Manager Eric Ellis told the Daily Herald Tuesday.

The one vote against the resolution came from Councilman Jacob Holdaway, who doubted the financial viability of the project and wanted to see what a bond would look like before going forward with it.

“I really think we should pause and take 90 to 120 days and get our people at Zions (Bank) to come back and give us bond pricing so that we know what the payment is before we dedicate staff to (the project),” Holdaway said.

Other council members showed their support for the resolution, arguing it was important to balance financial responsibility and growth.

“We can’t just keep tightening everything in and not anticipate the growth that’s coming. Because growth is coming,” Councilwoman Sara Cameron said.

“We are laser focused on making sure we are planning correctly,” Fullmer added. “All of us can agree that we want to spend money in a conservative fiscal manner that benefits the taxpayers of the community and gives them more than is a burden on them.”