By Jessica Boehm | Arizona Republic
Felicita Mendoza, who up until this week was Councilman Michael Nowakowski’s chief of staff, will serve as Phoenix councilwoman for District 8 until at least March.
The Phoenix City Council appointed Mendoza to the seat left open by former Councilwoman Kate Gallego, who resigned two weeks ago to run for mayor. Sixteen people applied for the position.
The appointment was hailed by some as a bipartisan move and condemned by others as an example of the insider nature of Phoenix City Hall politics.
Council District 8 covers part of downtown Phoenix, south Phoenix and Laveen. Its southern boundary is South Mountain. The district includes Sky Harbor International Airport and is considered a historically African-American district.