RONAN — At the first Ronan City Council meeting of the new year on Monday, two incumbent council members were not in attendance to be sworn into their positions. Richard “Dick” Jungers, a longtime Ronan resident and city council member since 2005, passed away on Jan. 3 after battling lung disease. He was 74, and leaves his Ronan Ward Three seat vacant.

Mayor Kim Aipperspach noted that the council and community had lost a good friend and good man.

The Ward One seat was left vacant as well, as newly reelected councilman Keoki Lopezdevictoria sent a letter of resignation for personal reasons.

With two vacant seats, the council will accept letters of intent to serve from Ronan citizens in Ward One and Three to fill the postings. The council will review the applicants at the next meeting on Monday, Jan. 25. Deadline for letters is Thursday, Jan. 21, and must be sent to the Ronan City Hall.

City attorney James Raymond swore in reelected incumbents Aipperspach, Marcia Ganieany and Penny Ross at the beginning of the meeting.

In other news, the council tabled discussion on a resolution authorizing the imposition of a Ronan Fire Department Relief Association Disability and Pension Fund levy. The council members hope to speak to the fire department and its board to discuss the amount of money necessary to fill the fund.

Police department officials were on hand to ask that money raised from the selling of a Mustang Coupe in 2006 be transferred into a “drug forfeiture” account. The department will use the money raised in this account to keep drugs off the street. The council motioned to accept the transfer as written. The $1,826 from the Mustang sale will be transferred from the general fund to the drug forfeiture account.