The Newton City Council welcomed a new member on Monday night with the swearing in of Ward 2 appointee Evelyn George following a brief debate and vote during December’s first regular meeting.

With a short agenda at hand, the majority of the meeting was dedicated to questioning George and Larry Johnson, both of Newton, by current councilors. Following the short debate, councilors unanimously voted for George to fill the Ward 2 seat, which was left vacant by the appointment of Mike Hansen as mayor on Nov. 5.

George and her husband moved to Newton in 1983, where she worked in the Maytag marketing division. She considers Newton to be “a community just right in size” for raising her family, and after moving to Coralville a few years back, recently returned to Newton.