Former Charleston councilman Pat Jones may soon rejoin City Council.
Councilwoman Mary Jean Davis said Wednesday that she will recommend Jones to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat.
Jones would replace Bernard Slater, who resigned from his position on Monday after several legal issues.
Jones, who previously served as a council member for 12 years, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The choice was simple, Davis said: Council members know Jones well from working with him in the past.
For residents who live in Ward 1 - which includes most of North Charleston west of Patrick Street - getting issues solved wasn't always simple with Slater, Davis said. Davis said sometimes Ward 1 had no representation.
"It's been a hard time for North Charleston to get their issues solved, or even heard," Davis said.
Jones started taking calls from Ward 1 residents, Davis said. He'd pass along issues to other council members, including Davis, so they could be addressed.
Typically filling empty council seats isn't simple, Davis said. She believes Jones is the best choice because he continued to serve his ward, even though he wasn't elected.
"I know from Pat continuously working, he never stopped being a council member," Davis said.
Jones was first elected to City Council in 1999, and re-elected in 2003 and 2007. He lost his race in 2011 after redistricting put him and another councilman in the same ward.
Jones lost the 2015 primary election to Slater by two votes. With no Republican opponent, Slater ran unopposed in the general election, receiving 150 votes against 97 votes for write-in candidates.
Council members will discuss potential replacements for Slater during the next council meeting on April 17.
Reach Ali Schmitz at ali.schmitz@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4842 or follow @SchmitzMedia on Twitter.