At tonight’s regular meeting of the Newton City Council, it is expected that councilors will announce their intent to fill the Ward 2 vacancy by appointment.

The Ward 2 seat was previously held by mayor Mike Hansen, who was required to vacate the seat upon his appointment as mayor. No one has publicly announced interest in the seat, but it is likely the council will seek applicants for the position in much the same manner it solicited applicants for the mayoral position.

The meeting has a full agenda, which includes further discussion on the possibility of contracting legal services. City Administrator Bob Knabel, in a Nov. 14 memo to councilors, said he had completed a requested analysis to “ascertain where the population threshold would be for those cities retaining full-time staff attorneys.”