Pikeville town board splits on new commissioner
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on January 14, 2015 1:46 PM
PIKEVILLE -- Town commissioners appointed Jay Hare to serve the remainder of the position held by the late Al Greene, but not without a debate.
Greene, 77, died Jan. 9 while he was still serving as a town commissioner.
Hare was asked to fill the seat.
"I was asked if I would consider (serving on the board) and under the circumstances I said that I would do the best I could," Hare said about the appointment. "I'll have to learn what is going on and help in any way I can."
Hare worked with the North Carolina Department of Revenue for 35 years and retired in 1999.
He has lived in Pikeville for seven years with his wife of 53 years, Pett.
Hare will have to get on the campaign trail soon if he decides he wants to remain a Pikeville commissioner.
Wayne County Board of Elections Director Rosemary Blizzard said that although Greene's seat does not expire until 2017, the position will be on the ballot for the 2015 election.
At that time, Hare could run for election and serve the remaining two years, which is what typically happens, or someone else could run to fill the vacancy.
Hare was not the only person nominated for the position.
Commissioners Todd Smith and Robert Hooks nominated Hare.
Commissioners Todd Anderson and Charles Hooks nominated Eric Snoddy for the appointment. Charles Hooks and Anderson said they chose the next highest vote-getter from the last election.
"I think, in all fairness, Eric Snoddy should get it," Hooks said just before the vote.
Anderson also said that was how he was appointed to the board before he was eventually elected.
"I thought that was how I got invited because I finished fourth in a field of six. Three got elected, and I finished fourth. They called me and they called the someone else that finished fifth and they called the sixth," Anderson said.
After a short debate over what criteria the board should use to make its decision for the appointment, Smith said, "We have got to figure out how we are going to do it. There are two names in the hat, Eric Snoddy and Jay Hare."
Smith, Robert Hooks and Hartman had already approached Hare before the meeting and questioned him about his interest in joining the board.
With the split decision, with two votes for Snoddy and two for Hare, Mayor Glenn Hartman cast the deciding vote. The mayor said he was in a tough situation.
"If I vote one way I am going to make two people mad and if I vote the other way I make two people angry," Hartman said. "This is a hard decision to make. I am going to put it this way; I am going to vote for Hare, if he will accept it. And I hope the board will help him out and everybody will get along. This board has been real good about getting along with the decisions that have been made. I hope we can continue to do so. So that is my vote."
After the vote was finalized, Anderson left the meeting with two agenda items remaining including the public forum and closed session to discuss town personnel matters.
Hartman maintained that Hare was the wise choice.
"I think he has been around Pikeville for quite a while and he is at every meeting. He knows what is going on in town, and he will make good decisions," Hartman said.