It took some time, but West Columbia City Council has a new member.

Mickey Pringle, a just-retired high school principal, was sworn in June 18 as the District 5 council member.

The seat had been held by Boyd Jones.

“I want to help create better living conditions,” Pringle said.

Pringle retired at the end of June, after 38 years in public education, eight of them as the principal of Denmark-Olar High.

Pringle coached football at Columbia High, A.C. Flora, C.A. Johnson and Fairfield Central.

He was elected Feb. 14 in a second election after the November election. Mar-land Hardy Mitchell appeared to be the winner, but that was overturned.

After the first election, Pringle wrote the county election commission contending that several people voted who were not legally eligible to vote in District 5.

The election commission agreed.

Pringle got more votes in February, but that result was contested.

Pringle ultimately was declared the winner.

He said he was persuaded to run by a woman in his church, Turner Memorial AME. He said he was not accustomed to some of the unpleasantness of the election.

Pringle said he has gone to work, bringing Youth-build Columbia to his district from Benedict College and Allen University.

It offers financial literacy and consumer credit education programs, counseling, job skills and other training in low-income communities.

Pringle and his wife Belinda met at SC State University as students. She is a retired special education teacher who taught at Brookland-Cayce High.

Pringle is originally from Sanford, Fla. They moved to West Columbia, Belinda’s hometown, in 1980.

He said he wants to focus also on helping the elderly become more active by bringing them together with the youth in the community to allow them to act as a positive influence.