CALERA, Okla. (KTEN) — The Calera Town Board called a public meeting Thursday night to interview applicants to fill a vacancy on the town board.

"We had a council member that, he vacated the spot, because he got a job and moved out of state," Mayor Brian Norton explained.

Although this is an elected position, the town board has the authority to fill the vacancy with an interested party of their choosing.

"State law allows us... we have up to 60 days to appoint someone after the vacancy," Norton said. "And if we didn't have anyone that wanted to be appointed, it would go up for special election."

This type of meeting is a first for the city, although seats have been vacated before.

"In the past, it's always been, just the council, someone says, 'Hey, I want to be on the board,' and it just happens... the appointment happens," Norton said. "On this one, we were just trying for more transparency, more open proceedings in the way we do things."

Norton was grateful to those who showed up, saying it's good for the public to give their opinions during a meeting as important as changing who represents them.

"Give the public an opportunity to talk and address any concerns on how we appoint and who we choose and so on," said Norton. "Whoever gets appointed will have to run for another two-year term, because that would be the end of this four-year term, and it would go back into the normal cycle."

The board will announce its appointee on September 14 at 3:30 p.m. That person will represent the city until the 2025 elections.