NORTHWOOD, Iowa — Two temporary city council members will be appointed to the Northwood City Council at its next regular meeting, slated for Oct. 26.

According to Northwood Mayor Randy Severson, these new members will replace John Podgorniak, who submitted his resignation on Oct. 6 and Pat Deen, who resigned Oct. 7.

Severson will propose two interim council members at next week’s meeting, and the council will then vote whether or not to approve the appointments.

If the appointments are approved by the council, Severson said a public notice will run and the public will have 14 days after legal publication to petition for a special election.

He said if the city does not receive a petition for special election, the appointments will take effect after the 14-day publication period, and the two new members will be permanent. In this case, these new council members will serve through 2011 and their names will be placed on the general election ballot in Nov. 2011.

Severson said if the city receives a petition for special election, it must contain more than 49 names and the special election will be held in early 2011.

Severson said the estimated cost of a special election would range from $500 to $1,000.

Podgorniak and Deen each had one year left on their four-year terms. Both resignations were effective immediately.

Severson said he did not know why the two resigned.

Neither Deen nor Podgorniak wished to comment about their resignations.