Rick Moffatt was sworn in during the Oak Ridge North regular City Council meeting on Sept. 20. Moffatt will serve the remaining of Tom Coale's term until the general election in May 2022.

Moffatt has lived in the Oak Ridge North community for 38 years and serves as general manager of the South Montgomery County Municipal Utility District.

“We’re very thankful for Rick to come in and fill Tom's vacancy through May," Mayor Paul Bond said during the meeting. "We'll see what happens in May. But, we look forward to him being on City Council, and I'm very thankful that he agreed step up. We appreciate that."

According to the city, Coale submitted his resignation to the city secretary in writing on Aug. 23. He resigned due to personal matters, Bond said during the meeting.

"It would have been nice to have Tom stay with us, but he had his reasons for resigning, and he has been doing this for a very long time. ... We definitely appreciate everything he brought to City Council through the years," Bond said.

Coale served as City Council Member Place 1. Coale was a member of the City Council from 2010 to 2017 before returning in 2019. He has lived in Oak Ridge North since 1972 and has raised five children in Oak Ridge North. Coale has worked in the construction and real estate industries for over 50 years, according to the city.

"He will be missed," Bond said.