Mississauga council has appointed former councillor David Cook to fill the interim position in Ward 1.

Councillors cast their ballots during Wednesday's (Feb. 21) council meeting, appointing Cook for the nine-month stint. Cook narrowly defeated landscape architect and University of Toronto professor John Danahy in a 6-5 vote.

"I have every intention to continue the many projects to which councillor Tovey devoted so much of his time, energies and talent. I have no intentions of trying to change anything in the works nor impede in any way the progress of those endeavours," he said in his pitch to council.

Cook served as councillor for Ward 7 for three terms, from 1980 to 1988. In 2010, he ran for mayor against Hazel McCallion, who won with 76 per cent of the vote despite the judicial inquiry into her involvement in a failed $14.4 million land deal between the city and a development company owned by her son, Peter McCallion.

Cook is a longtime resident of Ward 1 and author of four books celebrating the history of Mississauga.

The Ward 1 seat was declared vacant on Jan. 24, nine days after Coun. Jim Tovey died from a medical emergency while driving home from a planning and development committee meeting.

Candidates were required to give a five-minute speech before council as to why they were best suited for the job. Each of the 19 candidates expressed a desire to carry on the legacy of the late councillor Tovey, honouring his commitment to redeveloping the waterfront and parts of Port Credit.

Cook has committed to not running in the 2018 municipal election, as requested by councillors when the interim position was posted.

The city clerk’s office initially received 23 applications. Four candidates withdrew their names before the Feb. 21 council meeting.

Councillors George Carlson, Sue McFadden, Pat Saito, Matt Mahoney, Ron Starr and Carolyn Parrish voted in favour of Cook.