UPDATED: Parkway South High School Teacher Appointed to Maryland Heights City Council

Thursday night the Maryland Heights City Council confirmed teacher Michael Hachmeister to represent the city's third ward until the current term expires. Hachmeister, who teaches in the communication arts department at Parkway South, will replace City Councilwoman Mary Nichols. Voters elected Nichols to be state representative last November.

Hachmeister filed to run for the Ward 3 seat on Dec. 14. He was the only candidate for that seat as of that date.

Hachmeister has always considered running for public office. He thought he'd wait for his two children to grow older before tossing his hat into the political ring, but the vacant city council seat moved up his candidacy schedule.

Hachmeister isn't a stranger to public service — he's an educator by trade. The new councilman teaches speech and debate at Parkway South High School. He speaks enthusiastically about his profession and watching students evolve.

"They start meeting [their] potential and the potential you think they have. And it's really cool to see," Hachmeister said.

Hachmeister teaches in the Parkway school system but his children attend Pattonville schools. He says he's very happy with the schools they attend.

His family moved to Maryland Heights seven years ago, when Hachmeister taught at Parkway North. They tried to find a place close to where he and his wife were teaching. While they found themselves in Maryland Heights by accident, Hachmeister said they're staying in the city on purpose.

City Councilman Chuck Caverly helped Hachmeister break into city politics when he approached the high school teacher about filling the Ward 3 council seat. Hachmeister later met with Mayor Mike Moeller.

The new city councilman looks forward to getting out into Maryland Heights and meeting more residents. He said he feels like he knows a lot of people in his own subdivision, but wants to meet with more people in the city.

"I know there are going to be some long hours, but that's okay," he said.

He sees the city council as a communication link, saying concerned citizens should be able to speak with their ward's representative.

Hachmeister hopes to bring some new blood into the council and continue the tradition he says previous councils have set.

"The way I look at it is I'd like to make the next 25 years of Maryland Heights as good if not better than the last."