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Deb Mell Files to Fill Father Dick Mell's Old City Council Seat

By Ted Cox | July 11, 2013 2:16pm
 State Rep. Deb Mell confirmed she's in the running to replace her father, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), in the City Council.
State Rep. Deb Mell confirmed she's in the running to replace her father, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), in the City Council.
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DNAinfo/Ted Cox

THE LOOP — State Rep. Deb Mell confirmed Thursday she formally applied to succeed her father, Ald. Richard Mell (33rd), in the City Council.

Ald. Mell announced his retirement last week, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel has established an online application process to fill the seat. Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Thursday.

Emanuel will then submit the applicants to a community-based commission to review and submit a list of finalists to him, after which he'll make the final appointment. Emanuel's office said he expected to have a replacement installed in time for the regularly scheduled monthly council meeting July 24.

Emanuel has praised Deb Mell, but has insisted that she's not automatically entitled to replace her father, who has sat in the council since 1975.

Other community leaders have insisted it's time for a change and have called Emanuel's replacement process "a ruse," suggesting Emanuel appoint a "placeholder" and throw the seat open in the 2015 municipal elections.

Emanuel's press office said it would not release a list of applicants until the deadline passed and their qualifications were vetted.

While confirming her interest, Deb Mell otherwise dismissed talk of the process Thursday.

"I'm ... focused on this right now," she said before holding a state House Mass Transit Committee meeting in Chicago. She is the committee chairwoman.