The political realignment last November that installed three new members of the Fayetteville City Council played out last week in three veteran members of city boards being expelled in 3-to-2 votes and three new members voted in by the same margin.
Out are longtime Planning Commissioner Allan Feldman, Main Street Tourism board member Mike Hofrichter and Downtown Development Authority board member Al Hovey-King.
In are Kenneth Collins, Emily Poole and Mickey Edwards, respectively.
It took four months for the Fayetteville City Council to make the appointments to the various city boards that are customarily done each January. Those considerations are complete and the appointments were made on April 5.
The council had new members that included Mayor Greg Clifton, Councilman Ed Johnson and Councilman Mickey Edwards. The decision was made in January to put off the board selections until March, and then until April, to give the new council members time to be brought up to speed on the boards and to “gain a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities and current members” serving on several of the boards.
Councilman Paul Oddo was not present for the meeting and thus did not vote.
The approved list of appointments to the Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission, Downtown Development Authority, Main Street Tourism Association and Ethics Board includes:
• Planning and Zoning Commission Post 6: Councilman Walt White made a motion to reappoint Allan Feldman and Councilman Larry Dell provided the second. The vote was 2-2 with Johnson and Edwards opposed. Clifton split the tie, voting to oppose the motion.
A subsequent motion by Edwards to appoint retired Union City Fire Chief Kenneth Collins received a second by Johnson. The vote was 2-2 with Dell and White opposing. Collins was appointed on a 3-2 after Clifton broke the tie.
• Main Street Tourism Association: White made a motion to reappoint Mike Hofrichter with Dell providing the second. Edwards and Johnson voted in opposition and Clifton broke the tie to defeat the motion.
Johnson then made a motion to appoint local businesswoman Emily Poole. The second came from Edwards and resulted in a 2-2 tie with White and Dell opposed. Clifton again broke the tie, siding with Johnson and Edwards in favor of Poole’s appointment.
• Downtown Development Authority – Johnson made a motion to appoint Mickey Edwards to the seat held by former Councilman Al Hovey-King. Edwards provided the second. The 2-2 tie vote, with Dell and White opposing, was broken with Clifton voting in favor of the motion.
• Planning and Zoning Commission Post 2: Derryll Anderson was unanimously approved for reappointment.
• Planning and Zoning Commission Post 4: Chet Enigenburg is moving outside the city limits and 5-year city resident Debbie Renfroe was unanimously approved to fill the seat.
• Main Street Tourism Association: Downtown businesswoman Karen Costello received unanimous approval to fill the unexpired term of the late Lane Brown.
• Main Street Tourism Association: Vicki Turner and Cam Williams were both reappointed by unanimous vote.
• Ethics Board: The vote was unanimous to reappoint Mike Wheat.
