McKinney City Council appoints Chris Thornton to fill Shemwell vacancy

McKinney City Council agreed to appoint Chris Thornton, a lifelong McKinney resident and a local pastor, to be the interim District 1 council member.

At the start of the meeting, Mayor George Fuller said residents of McKinney’s east side were engaged in the discussion of who should fill the District 1 seat. From those discussions, Thornton’s name rose to the surface.

Thornton was sworn into the council seat later that night when Council met for its 6 p.m. meeting Dec. 1 and was able to serve in his first meeting. He will fill La’Shadion Shemwell’s former seat until May. Shemwell was recalled from his position on the council by McKinney voters during the Nov. 3 election.

Thornton will finish out the remaining term for the District 1 position, which expires in May, after which he could run for the position in the local election.

The appointment selection was made by council members unanimously.

“Chris is involved in the community and understands the community,” Mayor Pro Tem Rainey Rogers said. “I have a good friendship with him. I trust him. I think that he would absolutely represent District 1 for the five months that he's appointed very, very well.”