It looks like North Canton City Council's pick for the next Ward 3 rep isn't as cut and dry as Patch reported today.

Ward 2 Councilman Jeff Peters had told North Canton Patch earlier this week that council had reached a consensus on who they'd like to see in the Ward 3 seat and was prepared to approve the new member tonight at a special meeting.

But it appears it's not that clear anymore.

Today he told Patch that the council will have discussion on the floor and invite all seven candidates.

"I don't think we're going to be swearing anyone in tonight," said Peters, head of the Personnel and Safety Committee.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. Peters said he anticipates a half-hour discussion.

Peters said earlier this week that he and other council members had fielded several calls from residents regarding who they'd like to see as the next council member — which Peters considered an encouraging sign.

"These are the folks who live within the community," he said. "They vote. They have a say. They voted us in to make decisions, to have a say on a wide range of topics. At the end of the day, we’re a representative government. If there's input, I want to hear it."

The Ward 3 council seat became vacant when former councilman Tim Fox resigned to pursue the law director position, to which he was eventually appointed.

The candidates who applied are:

• Kevin Frank, owner of Frank Properties, Ltd., where he manages and rents real estate

• Michael S. Hale, building and grounds supervisor for North Canton City School District

• Clyde E. Kemp, Jr., a former local U.S. Census Bureau office manager in Canton from 2008 to 2010

• Todd LePage, vice president of Whitacre Engineering Company (LePage later withdrew his application.)

• Rick McLaughlin, a national sales representative for Alliance Shippers, who served as Ward 3 councilman from 1992 to 2003

• Chuck Osborne, who served as at-large councilman from 2001 to 2003 and 2010 U.S. Census Bureau team leader. Osborne also ran for council-at-large in November 2011.

• James A. Repace, who served as at-large councilman from 2005 to 2007. Repace is a former president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1985, which represented Hoover Co. workers

• Stephanie Snow Werren, development director for Leadership Stark County, a department of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce

Editor's note: North Canton Patch plans to post its meeting coverage this evening. You can sign up for our newsletter and breaking news alerts to ensure you don't miss it.