LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) - After a series of tie votes, the La Crosse City Council appointed James Cherf to fill the vacant district 7 seat.
Council members voted three times, with seven supporting Cherf and seven supporting Amesia Xiong with one abstaining.
After the third round, Mayor Matt Harter had to cast the tie-breaking vote.
Cherf is the owner of a downtown art gallery.
He fills the seat of Jim Bloedorn who resigned because he moved out of the district.
In other action Thursday night, council members voted to extend the moratorium on electronic signs and billboards for another six weeks.
The vote gives the council more time to consider the next step.
"When we extended the moratorium at the beginning of the summer, it was done rapidly, and nobody figured out the consequences of the date," said Bob Seaquist of District 8. "It's just pushing it a little beyond that, what it should have been in the first place."
Seaquist said that extending the moratorium would close a potential two week loophole, during which someone could apply for an electronic sign.
The council also voted twelve to three to restrict frac sand transportation in the city.
Specifically, the measure will require a conditional use permit for any metallic or non-metallic loading and unloading facility.
Frac sand would be one of the materials affected by the ordinance.
