BILLINGS - The City of Billings announced Thursday that Mayor Bill Cole is seeking applications for the Ward III council seat held by Denise Joy, who was recently selected to serve in the Montana State Legislature.Applications for the position should be submitted before Jan. 13, 2025, although the mayor reserves the right to consider any application regardless of the submittal date, city officials said in a press release.The mayor's recommendation from the field of candidates must be approved by the city council. Candidates must be residents of Ward III and a qualified voter in the city.The appointed person will serve the remainder of Joys term, which expires Dec. 31, 2025. To continue serving on the council the appointee must win the election for a four-year term that will be held in November 2025.Ward III generally covers neighborhoods south of the BBWA canal between 19th Street West and 4th Street West, including the area south of Central Avenue between South 24th Street West and Hallowell Lane. Ward boundaries can be seen on the map below: Anyone interested in the council position can apply by sending a letter of interest, resume, and letters of recommendation to Executive Secretary Wynette Maddox via email: [email protected] can also be mailed to the Mayors Office, Billings City Hall, PO Box 1178, Billings MT 59103-1178.The letter of interest should state the applicants qualifications for the position, an explanation of why the applicant would like to be appointed to City Council, the length of the applicants residency in Billings and the state of Montana, and whether any personal or financial conflicts could interfere with the applicants role as a member of the city council.