CENTRALIA, IL — After being barred for two years from taking his seat as Centralia mayor, Bryan Kuder was sworn in Monday night while his court case against the City remains unresolved. Kuder filed suit against the City of Centralia in 2019 after the council voted to vacate his election victory claiming he didn’t meet the residency requirement for the office. He argued that he lived in an apartment within the city and a newly purchased home he owned in Washington County was a secondary residence. Judge Kimbra Harrell took arguments in the case under advisement in March but has yet to issue a ruling.

Also sworn in Monday night were two new Centralia City Council members: Rob Jackson and Jeff Castellari. The city council asked to appoint Robert “Spanky” Smith as Mayor Pro-Tem for the upcoming term in case Kuder will be absent for a meeting.

The council also honored outgoing Mayor Herb Williams, councilmen Andre Marshall, and Howard Jones. The two councilmen did not seek re-election.