Wright City has filled a vacancy on the board of aldermen with last week’s appointment of new Ward 1 Alderman Dan Rowden. The vacancy was created when Tom Black submitted his resignation a week earlier, prior to the regular board of aldermen meeting held on May 24. Rowden’s appointment, recommended by Mayor David Heiliger, was made official during a special board meeting held May 31. Rowden will serve the remainder of Black’s two-year term, which expires in April 2013. Black told The Record he resigned for personal reasons, but declined to comment further. He had been an alderman since April 2009, when he was elected to his first two-year term. He ran unopposed and was re-elected in 2011. “We’re losing a good person,” Heiliger said. “We’re going to miss him.” Rowden had been serving on the city’s planning and zoning board for nearly a year. He has since resigned from that board. He is looking forward to contributing and keeping the city moving forward. “Just the aspect of seeing the progress and the progressive approach by the mayor and the board,” Rowden said, “I want to give back to the community. I’m honored the mayor considered appointing me. Rowden is currently employed as the assistant director of the St. Charles County Dispatch and Alarm, the agency that handles 911 calls for fire and ambulance. He also has an extensive background in law enforcement, previously being employed as police chief in Washington and Manchester. During his time as chief, both municipalities were undergoing a population explosion, which he said will help him in his new board capacity. Wright City’s population grew from 1,532 residents in 2000 to 3,119 in 2010. “When I worked in Manchester it was a small city hall with the police department in the back,” Rowden said. “It’s grown significantly since then. In Washington, it was a lot of the same that Wright City is on the verge of. I can give them the history and experience I’ve been through serving communities facing growth. ”Heiliger agrees Rowden’s past experience will be helpful to the board.“He is a super good guy,” Heiliger said. “He brings all kind of experience. It’s hard to find somebody who wants to do it. He will be a good addition.”—recnews@centurytel.net