Wally Andersen new mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay

Wally Andersen is the new mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

CBC News learned Andersen was voted into the position by a majority ofcouncil at a private meeting Tuesday night.

"Over Christmas and New Year's, I gave it serious consideration,"he toldCBCRadio'sLabrador MorningThursday.

"The amount of support that the public showed me helped me make up my mind to carry on as mayor for the remainder of this term ... Theamount of people who have come up to me since we laid mayor Hickey to rest has been unbelievable."

Andersen was the town's deputy mayor, and had been serving as interim mayor since the death ofJohn Hickey in December.

Hickey was accidentally shot in the head during a hunting accident, and died in hospital days later.

• 'All-around good man': John Hickey, Happy Valley-Goose Bay mayor, dies from gunshot injury

Provincial legislation gives three options for a mayoral vacancy.

In this case, councillors chose in an open vote to give the mayoral seat to the deputy mayor instead of opting for a secret-ballot vote or abyelection.

Andersen said he didn't think abyelectionto fill the mayor's seat was necessary.

Coun. Bert Pomeroy was chosen as the new deputy mayor in a subsequent vote.