Monica Horton to be sworn in as newest Springfield City Council member Monday night

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The Springfield City Council’s newest member will be sworn into office this evening. The city council chose Monica Horton to fill a vacancy on the city council, which was left vacant when Angela Romine decided to run for state office.

For more than a decade, Horton has worked as the CEO of Lenica Consulting and has served as a professor of music at Drury University. Horton moved to Springfield in 2013 and says she has done volunteer work ever since.

You can learn more about Horton here: https://www.ky3.com/2022/04/12/springfield-city-council-appoints-monica-horton-fill-zone-1-seat/

Horton says it’s the opportunity to help shape the future of the city, and help the people who live here, that pushed her to apply for the open seat.

“This is a huge responsibility and I certainly do not take it lightly because you have city council, as well as the mayor, who’s entrusting me to partner with them to address issues and also elevate the great things that are going on in Springfield,” says Horton.

Horton also said she wants to address poverty and help to increase inclusiveness in Zone 1, the northwest part of the city. She also wants to help small business owners, like those on C-street, make a rebound and recover as we move out of the pandemic.

“I certainly want to assist business owners,” says Horton. “Of course, the commercial district off of C street, those who are rebounding as well from the losses. Together, we’ll definitely be able to bring those brilliant minds together and see if we can move forward in our city.”

When it comes to the city as a whole, she says a big priority is to help with the transition to responding to the virus in a long-term way.

“I just, you know, feel as though we have to rely upon one another and really trust the science,” says Horton. “And to really make sure that the public is informed about the current phase that we are in right now. So, we’re on the rebound, and I’m hoping that we certainly can continue, in good faith, to bridge whatever divides that we might have had in the past.”

Horton will serve in the Zone 1 seat until the April 4, 2023 election. Horton says she does plan to run for election when the time comes.

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