DeJarnett named to council
Published 5:47 pm Monday, December 8, 2008
Greg DeJarnett was unanimously appointed to the Ward 4 seat on the Clanton City Council Monday night.
Councilmember Bobby Cook made a motion nominating DeJarnett for the seat that was left vacant when Circuit Court Judge John Bush ruled the winner of the Ward 4 run-off election, William Trimble, did not live in Ward 4 and could not serve on the city council. Cook explained he wished the council had not been placed in a position where it had to make an appointment but believed DeJarnett deserved the seat based on his placing first in the city’s general election and being runner-up in the run-off election.
“Greg did spend money to contest the run-off election results,”Cook said, adding that DeJarnett also qualified and ran for the office.
Some residents of Ward 4 petitioned the council to appoint former council member Elizabeth Hill who was earlier appointed by the council to complete her late husband’s term of office. Hill did not seek re-election to the post.
Councilmember Jeff Price seconded Cook’s motion saying DeJarnett received 49.9 percent of the votes cast in the run-off election.
Councilmember Mary Mell Smith said both DeJarnett and Hill were “good candidates for the position” and that the council “agonized” over choosing between the two.
Neither DeJarnett nor Hill was present at the meeting.
Bush ordered the city council to fill the seat or make recommendations to the governor who would then make the appointment. Mayor Billy Joe Driver said the council needed to make the appointment and not send the matter to the governor.
In other business the council approved a motion to sell CRH North America the city’s ownership in the industries plant. CRH will pay the city $1.5 million.
The council also:
Approved a $35,011 change order for the Peach Tower Road paving project.
Approved placing David Cleckler on full-time status with the Clanton Police Department.
Approved Louise Campbell and Associates to serve as the Administrator of a project to upgrade the city’s water plant. Approved AME to serve as the engineers for the project.