Laurel Council Names New Member

The Laurel City Council whittled a field of six candidates down to one in a special meeting Wednesday night, naming Valerie Nicholas to fill a vacancy left by the retiring Gayle Snyder.

Nicholas will become the first African-American female to sit on the council, which dates back to the 1870s. She will fill the by former Councilwoman Snyder whose last meeting as a sitting council member was June 1.  She is retiring and moving with her husband to Delaware during the summer.

Nicholas beat out a crowded field of all-male candidates, including a former Laurel councilman. During her candidate interview in front of the council, she stressed her commitment to speaking out against domestic abuse through her Laurel-based non-profit, Love Is Not Enough, Inc. 

"I'm very excited," she said after the announcement. "I was on pins and needles all week."

Nicholas said she plans to run for election in Ward 1 during the November election in order to keep her seat. But for now, she said she will be studying council rules and regulations.

"There are a lot of things I want to do," she said.

Check back with Laurel Patch Thursday for more details.