Columbus City Council chose Dascal Bunch as the new council president pro tempore to oversee meetings if the mayor is absent.
Council members on Wednesday voted 4-3 to select Bunch. Bunch, along with council members Laurie Booher, Elaine Wagner and Tom Dell voted in favor of the selection.
Bunch was nominated for the position by Dell, while City Councilman Frank Miller had nominated fellow councilman Tim Shuffett. Miller, fellow councilman David Bush and Shuffett all cast the three votes in favor of Shuffett’s nomination.
Miller served as council president the last two years and said it was time for someone else to take on that role.
Bunch, who represents the city’s east side, will return to the president seat for the second time and is starting his eighth year on the council. He previously served as president under the former Mayor Kristen Brown’s administration, he said.
Bunch said his priorities for the council this year are to keep different city projects moving along such as the proposed overpass being planned at the State Road 46/State Road 11 intersection. The $30 million overpass is being constructed to deal with an increase in train traffic traveling through the city.
Dell said he decided to nominate Bunch in part because he thought it was important that council members have a second individual to consider.
Dell also cited Bunch’s work on the council as another reason, describing him as a good friend and councilman.
“I think experience is important,” Dell said.
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Columbus City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 for its next meeting at City Hall, 123 Washington St.
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