Out of seven candidates, Nina Milligan emerged as the choice to fill Position 2 on the Issaquah City Council, tipping the gender balance of the council to four women and three men.

Milligan’s appointment, which was determined by a 4-1 vote by the council Feb. 3, fills the seat which was held by Issaquah’s new mayor, Fred Butler. Milligan will serve the remainder of the term, which ends in December 2015.

Milligan is the communications manager for the Issaquah Highlands Council. She lives in the Highlands with her husband, Robert and son, Tyler. She has served on the Urban Village Development Commission since 2005, and is affiliated with several other community organizations.

“I plan to work with the council on planning projects so our development can move forward in a deliberate fashion,” Milligan said.

She holds a BA in communications from the University of Washington, but she has been attending legal continuing education classes to study topics ranging from patent law to land use planning. Milligan sought the seat to expand her interest and involvement with the city beyond the urban villages.

She is slated to serve on the council infrastructure committee, safety and services committee and as the alternate to Mayor Butler on the Cascade Water Alliance.