LINGLE — By a 4-0 count, the Lingle Town Council chose Brandie Cook over Mike Duane Gibson as its new councilwoman in its Oct. 9 public meeting.

Cook, a local realtor, replaces Paula Newcomb, who resigned on Aug. 22.

“I look forward to it,” Cook said. She told the council she wants to give back what it has brought her for 15 years.

Lingle Councilman Greg Asa said he would flip a coin to decide before Lingle Mayor George Siglin said state law doesn’t allow that.

Cook and Gibson spoke in front of the council before the council chose Cook. Gibson said after two votes in Cook’s favor he would not be upset if he was not selected.

“I’ll see you in June,” he said.

Siglin also encouraged Gibson to run.

Lingle Councilman Joe Welte said that he lived only two doors down from Gibson but didn’t meet him for a year. He made the remark after Asa said that he didn’t think he had ever met Gibson, which was “pathetic” given the size of the town. Asa said he ultimately leaned toward Cook since he knew her better than he knew Gibson.

Cook said that when she moved to Lingle in 2006, she thought her “only mistake” was not moving sooner.

“I love it,” Cook said.

“She outranks me in years,” Gibson said about length of time in the town.

Gibson lived in Grand Island, Neb. Cook grew up in Providence, R.I. and has also lived in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mitchell, Neb. and Cheyenne. She ran her father’s business at 23 years old, with a new baby.

At that time, she lived in Torrington.

“Torrington was that comfort, that comfort zone I was back in,” Cook said. “I didn’t want to leave.”

However, Cook and her husband Rick Cook moved back to Mitchell before the two got married and returned to the area.

Welte said governments in Nebraska are different from governments in Wyoming. Gibson said he was still learning about government.

“They don’t have the money we do,” Welte said, comparing Nebraska governments to Wyoming governments.

Siglin asked about past experience. Cook said that she has served on a board of realtors and Siglin noted that Gibson had been the head of the local Democratic Party.

“But this position isn’t partisan,” Siglin said.

“It isn’t,” Gibson replied.

Siglin said he was glad each moved to Lingle and said that the “main goal” of the council is to leave the town in a better place than before, though the town wasn’t in bad shape when the council members started.

“Just do what you can for the greater majority,” Siglin said.

Asa wanted to know what other obligations each candidate had.

“How much time do you have to devote to this job?” Asa asked. “I say this because I don’t feel like I ever had enough time to devote.”

“If I was still working, probably not a whole lot,” Gibson replied. “I keep myself busy, but if elected, I’ll make time.”

“I have as much time as I am willing to put into it,” Cook said. “Kids are all gone. It’s kinda nice.”

Siglin said moments later that regardless of who the council chose, the council would not “lose anything.”

“Nice to see some people at least put their hat in,” Siglin later said.

“To be honest with you, I was surprised there wasn’t more,” Gibson replied.

“I really appreciate you being interested,” Asa said. “It’s a pretty small town; pretty small pool to draw from.”

Siglin then noted that elections will be in May and two council seats will be available.

Asa wanted to know how Gibson and Cook would get information about town affairs to citizens. Gibson said he helped with the U.S. Census in 2010 and enjoyed talking with folks one-on-one.

“It was really interesting,” Gibson said. “I might do that in town, just out of curiosity.”

“I always go back to the door-to-door, face-to-face,” Cook said. She referenced a “cup of coffee” twice when talking about communicating with constituents.

“I’m a people person and I like to talk with everybody or anybody,” Cook said.