HOULTON – The Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to appoint Joseph M. Skehan to fill a vacancy on the council.

Skehan, a member of the town’s board of budget review and a past member of the SAD 29 board, will replace Charles Daly IV, who resigned last month for personal reasons.

Skehan will serve until the next municipal election on Nov. 5, at which time he will have the option of running for the seat, along with other candidates through the regular electoral process, for the remaining year of Daly’s term.

In other matters, councilors agreed by consensus to start meetings at 6:30 p.m. The matter will go to a formal vote at the March 25 meeting.

Meetings have begun at 7:15 p.m. for years. With added executive sessions or extended discussion on critical issues, there have been many times when meetings have ended after 11 p.m.

It was felt that an earlier start time would allow councilors to return home at a more reasonable time.