During a special meeting Tuesday, the Lake Charles City Council appointed Marshall Simien as the interim councilman for District A.

Simien is taking over the open seat temporarily following the Aug. 8 death of Councilwoman Mary Morris. Morris, 70, died Aug. 8 of complications from COVID-19.

According to state law, a new appointment must be made for an open council seat within 20 days of it being vacated. The City Council will adopt a resolution to call for a special election for the District A seat at its Sept. 1 meeting. The next available elections are March 26, 2022 and April 30, 2022, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter recommended the council appoint Simien as interim councilman for District A. Simien was elected to the District A seat in 2005 and served two terms before losing to Morris in the May 2013 election.

Simien said he respected the work Morris did during her time on the council and added he will not run for the seat in the special election.

“I just want to make sure that not only her legacy continues, but that the community would have good representation as we navigate through these disasters,” he said.

This isn’t Simien’s first time filling a seat after the death of an elected official. In late December 2014, Simien was sworn in to serve out the term of District 2 Calcasieu Parish Police Juror James Mayo, 52, who died earlier in the month.

“I hope it doesn’t happen again because we’ve lost some very good public servants,” Simien said.

Simien said he was first sworn in on the City Council in July 2005, two months before the Category 3 Hurricane Rita severely damaged Southwest Louisiana. He said the challenges that remain after the Category 4 Hurricane Laura’s landfall last August motivated him to serve the district in the interim. He mentioned meeting with residents who have been displaced in Houston for months and don’t plan to return to Lake Charles.

“These are good, quality people, and it just broke my heart and stirred home what we’re facing here,” Simien said. “I’m just trying to help any way that I can.”

Simien will be sworn in ahead of the Sept. 1 council meeting.