The York City Council has one month to appoint someone to fill the seat left vacant by Councilwoman Joanne Borders, who died Monday.

City ordinance requires council vacancies to be filled within 30 days, a window of time that will expire Oct. 25, said Council President Carol Hill-Evans.

But, she said, the law "leaves it wide open as to how we go about that."

"We can either find a person that we think is a suitable replacement, put their name on the agenda and vote 'yes' or 'no,'" Hill-Evans said.

Or, she said, the council could accept applications and conduct interviews with potential replacements, though that route would probably require more time and money.

As of Tuesday evening, Hill-Evans said, "I don't know how we're going to go about it."

The council is scheduled to meet twice between now and Oct. 25. Hill-Evans said she's hoping to appoint someone by the end of the council's Oct. 16 meeting, but she'll call for extra meetings before the deadline if necessary.

At least three of the four remaining council members must agree on Borders' replacement. If a vote is 2-2, Mayor Kim Bracey would break the tie, Hill-Evans said.

City voters will ultimately decide who serves the rest of Borders' four-year term, which began in January.

A permanent replacement will need to win election next November, Hill-Evans said. That person could be the council's appointee or someone else.

Anyone who is interested in being appointed to the vacant seat is welcome to call Hill-Evans at 717-848-4788.

- Erin James may also be reached at ejames@yorkdispatch.com