BUCKHANNON – Mayor Robbie Skinner swore in Shelia Lewis-Sines as a member of Buckhannon City Council Wednesday.

Sines was selected to fill the vacated seat of Mary Albaugh during the Aug. 19 city council meeting.

“We have a special occasion today. It is more of a fun time to be mayor, instead of handling all of the complaints and problems of our city, we get to bring somebody new on to be a part of our organization,” Skinner said at the Aug. 25 swearing-in ceremony. “Shelia Lewis-Sines will be sworn in today as our brand new city council member, and we’re excited to have her.”

“Shelia was the next highest vote-receiver from the previous 2020 election, only missing the seat by six votes, so she’s deserving of the seat and she’s ready to serve,” the mayor added.

Skinner said the job isn’t easy, but everyone on the city council wants to do what is best for the community.

“She and I have already had several conversations about what this job entails and what’s going to be coming at her, from folks calling and saying my street needs fixed, my waterline needs fixed, this tree needs to come down and the dog won’t stop barking, so congratulations,” Skinner said. “We’re all up here together. We do this because we love this community, and we want to do what’s best for this community and when we come in here, we put all of our personal biases and things aside and we have to do what’s right for all the people that live here and work here and contribute to this community.”

Sines said she looks forward to working with everyone at the city and appreciated the support she has received.

“I just want to thank you guys so much for coming and supporting me in this. It’s going to be a journey and I would appreciate everybody working with me,” Sines said. “I truly love this city, and I think everybody that’s here today knows that. And all I want is what’s best for it — and I’m going to try my best to support the city in every way possible, and I’m ready to do so.”

Sines said she does not have any immediate, specific goals, but she wants to represent the people of Buckhannon in the best way she can.

“The only thing that I want to accomplish is doing the will of the people — that’s it, just serving Buckhannon and being the voice for the people who asked me to serve them,” she said. “I have no agendas, no goals — just what’s best for Buckhannon. My father asked me in years past — he’s gone now and it makes me a little sad to say that he was one of my biggest supporters for this — and I’ve been asked by several people to run, so I finally just said, I think it’s time.”

Sines’s appointed position on the council will last through May 2022 when Albaugh’s term would have expired, but she can then run in the city election for a regular four-year term if she chooses.

Wednesday’s swearing-in will enable Sines to participate in city council’s next bimonthly meeting, set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2 in council chambers of city hall.