Emily Neal is the new Second Ward representative on the Decorah City Council

The Decorah City Council is now back to full strength.

The six remaining city council members on Monday night voted 5-1 to appoint Luther College Assistant Sustainability Director Emily Neal to the unexpired portion of the term of Dan Bellrichard, who resigned from the position last month after he bought a house outside the district.

Neal told city council members she would serve the needs of people, the economy and the planet.  She said she would be strategic in her decisions.

Current city council member Randy Schissel earlier in the meeting had made a motion to table the vote to fill the position.  Schissel was upset with a yard sign put up by Neal's husband.  The sign was critical of President Trump.  Schissel said he objected to the "divisiveness" of the sign.  Neal said she disagreed with her husband's sign, but supported his right to put it up.

Schissel voted in favor of Dan Kirkeby's appointment to the city council.  Kirkeby told the city council, "I've always been a problem solver."