The Ames City Council is set to approve a new Government of the Student Body ex-officio member to the council at its meeting Tuesday.

Andrew Tugan, junior in political science and GSB liberal arts and sciences senator, was recommended for the non-voting post in an executive order from GSB President Mike Banasiak Wednesday.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to show the council how capable students can be,” Tugan said.

The ex-officio member’s job is to provide a student opinion on issues before council and to foster communication between the City Council and GSB. Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said he is confident Tugan will be successful in that role.

“I think Andrew will be a good addition, and I hope we will be able to accomplish the idea behind the ex-officio member by communicating with GSB on what’s going on in council which may affect the students as a whole,” Tedesco said.

The resolution bringing a student onto the council was approved in early spring 2003. Banasiak was the first member, serving only a couple of months before he was elected GSB president in April. Banasiak’s appointee, Nathan Johnston, did not serve a full term either, resigning last month because of his time restrictions.

These abrupt changes have left the position without a sense of continuity, Tedesco said, something that could continue with Tugan, whose term will end in April unless the newly elected president chooses to keep him at the position.

This is a possibility, Tugan said.

He is currently the campaign manager for the Drew Miller/Jenn Riggs ticket for GSB president and vice president and said he has a “good working relationship” with Sophia Magill and Will Rock, who are also running for the positions.

Councilman Steve Goodhue echoed Tedesco’s view on the need for more consistency in the student seat.

“From my perspective, it would help to have some more consistency at the position, but I do think it has improved communication between the city and university,” Goodhue said.

Though it will not come up at Tuesday’s meeting, the council plans to discuss the GSB resolution suggesting an ex-officio position be created in GSB for a City Council member, Tedesco said. The discussion will likely come in the goals setting meeting tentatively scheduled for April 9-10, he said. Tedesco said he is opposed to the resolution at this point.

“I would have to tell you that my opinion at this point is that one [ex-officio position] or the other, but not both, is needed,” Tedesco said.

He cited the time constraints on council members, whose positions in government are part-time in addition to full-time careers.

Tuesday’s meeting should be straightforward, with few issues expected to arouse serious debate, Tedesco said. This will be a change from the past few meetings, which have covered such contentious issues as a change in the Land Use Policy Plan and next year’s budget. The meetings have often stretched late into the night.

“Looks like we could be home early,” he said. “We won’t have to bring our pajamas.”