Waukee lawyer appointed to fill vacant council seat

A Waukee lawyer has been appointed to fill a seat on the Waukee City Council that was vacated by former council member Rick Peterson in early January.

Charlie Bottenberg was chosen Monday from a pool of three candidates. He owns the Waukee law firm Masterson & Bottenberg, LLP.

Peterson resigned from the city council Jan. 3 to take a job with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. He was the second council member to leave in less than a year, with Shane Blanchard resigning June 1 due to health and personal reasons. Anna Bergman was selected to fill that seat.

Bottenberg and the other candidates had applied to fill Blanchard's seat last summer. Bottenberg said in a statement he was already planning to run for the council in November.

Bottenberg is married with three children. He has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology from Drake University, an MBA from Iowa State University and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from Drake University Law School. He has previously served as board chair of the Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bottenberg will be sworn in at the Feb. 6 council meeting. He will fill Peterson's seat until Dec. 31.