As Athens City Councilman Frank Travis recuperates at Huntsville Hospital after being injured last week in a domestic incident, Councilman Joseph Cannon is preparing to leave his seat.

Cannon, who was elected Limestone County’s new license commissioner last year, will start his new role at the beginning of the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. His departure means the council, in the short term, would have only three remaining members, the bare minimum needed for a quorum.

The council has three ways to address the vacancy — call a special meeting to appoint someone, hold a special election or leave the position open until the August 2020 municipal elections. Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said he hopes the council will appoint someone to fill Cannon’s District 4 seat right after it is legally vacated on Oct. 1.

Marks said at least five people have expressed interest in the job.

“I would hope the City Council would not let District 4 be without representation,” Marks said, adding he didn’t know when Travis could return. “We pray he’ll be all right, but he’s facing a potentially long recovery.”

Council President Harold Wales said the council had not discussed what would happen with Cannon’s seat, but he’s leaning toward appointing someone.

“The benefit to that district would be they would have someone to lobby for them,” Wales said. “The other councilman would pick up the slack (if the seat was not filled). There would be no drop in services, but it’s important to me that we pick the right person for this and who has no hidden agenda.”

District 5 Councilman Wayne Harper said he was in favor of letting Cannon’s seat remain open until 2020, but Travis’ injury may have changed his mind. If one of the three remaining council members has an illness or injury and can’t attend a meeting, there would not be a quorum available to approve resolutions or ordinances.

When asked if the council would foster diversity by appointing a woman, Harper said gender or race wouldn’t be a factor.

“I think we would all just want the best person,” he said.

District 1 Councilman Chris Seibert said the ideal candidate would have some experience with budgets, managing people and general oversight of finances and programs. He would also like someone with “high integrity” who is involved in the community.

“We’ve had several people who have put their names in, and hopefully someone rises to the top,” Seibert said.

As for Cannon, he would like his seat to be filled, but he would also like Travis to be able to vote on it. Cannon still has one regular meeting left this month and will also be present for budget hearings, which are scheduled for Thursday at City Hall.

“I don’t want to go a whole year without representation,” Cannon said.

It wouldn’t be the first time the council has appointed a councilman to fill a vacancy. It was done after former Councilman Henry White was elected to the state Legislature. The council appointed Milly Caudle to the seat.

When former Mayor Dan Williams was elected to the state Legislature (defeating White), Marks, the then-District 4 councilman, was named mayor by the council. The council then appointed Jim Hickman to complete Marks’ term.