MT. VERNON — Mt. Vernon’s former city manager will be taking a seat on the city council after his election to the council last week. Ray Botch was the city manager in Mt. Vernon for 14 years and came back to Mt. Vernon when he retired.

Botch says he wants to serve and continue to give back to a community that has given him so much.

Botch has been working with the city to plan the water and sewer infrastructure improvements for the last two years. He says that, along with a new “public safety center” for a combined police and fire station are some of his top priorities as he prepares to be sworn in to the Mt. Vernon City Council.