XENIA — Thomas Scrivens was appointed to fill a Xenia City Council vacancy Jan. 11.

The 69-year-old is expected to be sworn-in at the Thursday, Jan. 25 meeting and will fill the opening created when current Council member Sarah Mays was elected mayor this past November. Per the city charter, Scrivens will serve for the remainder of 2018 and the final year of Mays’ term will be filled via election in November.

“It’s an extraordinary opportunity to be able to serve the people that you see every day,” Scrivens said. “I feel it’s a high honor. I want to do my best to represent every citizen. I’m equal opportunity top to bottom.”

Scrivens was chosen from a pool of three applicants, which included Billie Carrico and Matt Bennett. In nominating Scrivens, Council member Wes Smith cited his “enthusiasm” and “energy” as a big difference.

“Mr. Scrivens has been invested in our community much longer than any of us,” Smith said. “He did a phenomenal job in the interview.”

Carrico also had some council support as Dale Louderback and newly sworn-in Levi Dean said she should have been chosen.

“Billie Carrico finished third in the vote of the citizens (last November),” Louderback said. “The people have spoken. They wanted her. We should follow what the voters wanted.”

Dean said that Carrico was “the person who ran, who made her voice heard.” But he also said that “Thomas Scrivens will do just fine.”

Scrivens had taken out a petition to be on the ballot in the last election. However he not certified as a candidate because he said he failed to sign them.

“When God closes one door, he opens up another,” Scrivens said.

A 1966 graduate of Xenia High School, Scrivens said he has no pressing agenda items but he would “like to see the place made pretty” while ensure bad portions of Second Street and Colorado Drive are fixed.

“Just the little things,” he said.