New City Councilmember

Lisa Koski has been appointed as Glasgow City Councilmember for Ward 1. She was sworn in during the regular city council meeting July 19.

She succeeds Todd Young, former Ward 1 Councilmember, who resigned from his position in early June. Young had served as Coucilmember since January 2020. He previously said he felt legally obliged to resign from his post because he had recently sold his home in the ward and has had difficulty purchasing a new one.

Koski currently is the Executive Director for the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, a position she has held since September 2009.

"I am really excited," Koski told The Courier last week. "Glasgow is a very unique community. We have so many organizations, but we play well together and support each other."

Koski said she is taking time to learn her new job.

"The first meeting, I didn't really want to say a lot. I wanted to learn the ropes. I have had a lot of people approach me already about certain things I need to the council. OK, but let me get my feet wet. I have a packet on ordnances. There are things I don't know yet. I know how to balance a budget, but the details behind all that stuff" will require on the job training.

Koski has a background in finance, and has previously audited the city for a former employer. With her experience in the financial industry, and with the chamber, Koski is in a unique position to help guide the city through the continuing economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are in a really devastated area right now," Koski said. "There are so many jobs out there, and nobody to work. I feel it is partially on government unemployment benefits. People are not going to work when they get $600, or now $200 or even $300, to stay at home. You can make good money on unemployment. That is huge."

Koski led the chamber through both the Great Recession and now the pandemic, which will provide invaluable insight in her new role, she said.

"Our chamber helped a lot of business the with the COVID loans and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans."

They were grants, non-taxable, and were given to cover payroll. Eighty percent had to cover payroll costs."

Koski said she has been considering the council position since at least June.

"I have been thinking about it for quite some time now, and I am on a lot of different boards. Currently, I am on the Housing Authority, The Kiwanis Club, the Two Rivers Economic Growth, the Chamber. I felt being on the council would complement both the city and the chamber. That was one of my reasons."

Koski, ever busy, did not know if she had the time to devote to the position, at first.

"I decided to go ahead and try it. I didn't have to run, so I didn't have to put a lot of time into it. This was just an appointed position until December of 2023. I didn't have to campaign and I can see if it is something I like to do."

All in all, Koski said she is ready to tackle her new responsibilities.

"My door is always open. Don't hesitate to call me."