Stephanie Wanek Appointed Interim City Council Member

A fourth-generation Neligh resident has been appointed as the city council's newest member.

Stephanie Wanek, a 1996 Neligh-Oakdale graduate, was unanimously approved tonight to serve as interim city council member. She fills the position vacated by Nancy Ofe, who resigned last month due to a change in residency outside of city limits. 

Wanek was appointed by Mayor Jeri Anderson on Tuesday at the monthly meeting to fill Ofe's term, which ends in December 2014. Ofe was appointed in August of 2011 to fill the term vacated by Christy Underwood, who resigned in June 2011 when her family moved to Arcadia.

Anderson said four individuals expressed interested in the position.

"Steph has spent the last six months attending council meetings and knows what's going on," Anderson said.

Wanek is one of three candidates on the Nov. 4 general election ballot, along with incumbent Ted Hughes and Dawn Wiegand.

Wanek spent six years as an elementary teacher at Neligh-Oakdale before becoming a staff developer at Educational Service Unit 8. She serves on the Neligh-Oakdale TeamMates Mentoring Program's Board of Directors and was a facilitator for Marketing Hometown America. 

Wanek coined Neligh's new marketing slogan, "Not Too Small To Have It All."