SIDNEY — Jennifer VanMatre was named as the person who will replace the unexpired term of Joe Ratermann, former at-large council member, during Sidney City Council’s special meeting Monday. Ratermann resigned from Sidney City Council in May.

VanMatre was named as the replacement after council members emerged from the executive session held to discuss the appointment of a public official, City Clerk Kari Egbert said.

“I’m very excited. I decided to run in the spring (for the November election). I got my petitions out before Mr. Ratermann resigned,” VanMatre told the Sidney Daily News. “I’m so excited about what is happening downtown that I wanted to be part of that growth. It’s exciting to watch.”

VanMatre is a retired Sidney City School teacher, but still regularly works as a substitute teacher.

She clarified that she is not joining City Council for any negative reason — “no bone to pick, per se” — but rather because she wants to help the downtown grow.

“I grew up here and remember lots of businesses being in the downtown. I want to see that come back,” she said.

She will fill Ratermann’s term, which will expire on Nov. 30, 2019. VanMatre will then run in the November election to fill the at-large seat that will be on the general election ballot.

VanMatre will be officially appointed and sworn-in during the Sidney City Council meeting on Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building’s Council Chambers.

In other business, council members also briefly discussed needing to find a board replacement for Sidney-Shelby Economic Partnership board member Denny Sollmann. Sollmann’s three-year term expires at the end of the year, Egbert said. Board members are restricted to serving only two consecutive terms. Sollmann will reach the end of his second term on Dec. 31, 2019.