Wills set to run for Iowa City City Council

Iowa+City+City+Hall+is+seen+on+Tuesday%2C+April+18%2C+2017.+

Joseph Cress

Iowa City City Hall is seen on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

Emily Wangen, Politics/News Reporter

Brianna Wills, the executive director of Old Brick, announced her candidacy Aug. 6 for the Oct. 2 Iowa City City Council special election to fill the vacant at-large seat following former City Councilor Kingsley Botchway’s resignation from the council.

Wills, 41, has been a resident of Iowa City for eight years and has been involved in the community through various organizations and committees. She has served on the Johnson County Planning and Zoning Commission and has held several positions with local public schools. She also serves on the Johnson County Democrats Central Committee.

If elected, a press release said, Wills’ priorities will include improvements to affordable housing opportunities and access to transportation as well as working with a variety of stakeholders to address issues in the community.

The press release also noted her interest in prioritizing community need while being conscious of the cost to taxpayers.

Wills is the second candidate to announce a bid for the City Council. University of Iowa student Ryan Hall announced Aug. 6 he would run for the council again after an unsuccessful campaign for the District B seat against incumbent Susan Mims in the fall of 2017.

Botchway was elected for a second term in November 2017 after capturing 78 percent of the vote alongside Mazahir Salih, who was elected for her first term with 77 percent of the vote.

The winner of the special election will serve for the remainder of Botchway’s term.

According to the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, no one had officially filed as of the morning of Aug. 7. If three or more candidates file before the Aug. 10 deadline, a primary election will be held Sept. 4.

The city councilors voted unanimously to hold a special election during an Aug. 3 special formal meeting following Botchway’s resignation from the council and from his position with the Iowa City School District as director of equity and engagement in July.