With City Council President Phil Fisher presiding, Troy officials on Tuesday began the task of finding a replacement for recently recalled mayor Don Banning.

Banning lost his bid to hold on to his seat as a bid to recall him was successful last Thursday, with 60 percent favoring the recall.

“I think we need to find a mayor totally impartial to one side or the other,” Councilman Joe Arts recommended before a packed room with residents spilling out onto the sidewalk.

“I would like to be mayor,” Fisher offered. “I just want to put it out there.”

“I think we want someone with experience,” Councilwoman Fran McCully said. “Not someone from the outside.”

Standing in the doorway was former mayor Tony Brown, who previously served as mayor during the late ’70s.

“I’d consider it,” Brown said. “I have no axe to grind.”

City Council members agreed they would begin a search, and to place an advertisement in The Western News, which appears on this page.

Interested persons should be a Troy resident, and they should submit the Letter of Interest to Troy City Council, P.O. Box 823, 301 E. Kootenai Ave., Troy, Mont., 59935 by 5 p.m. June 7.

The Council will hold a meeting on June 8.