By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
COOKEVILLE – Tuesday night, former commissioner Bobby Williams was chosen from a field of six candidates to fill the vacant District 5 commission seat vacated by Terry Randolph who moved out of the district.
Seven district residents had expressed interest in the seat, but Tyna Bryan removed her name from consideration prior to the commission meeting. Other candidates for the position were Johnnie Wheeler, Vinnie Faccinto, Bruce Bailey, Junior Phipps and Brandon Burgess. Burgess was unable to attend the meeting due to sickness.
Williams told the commission that he had assured County Mayor Randy Porter that he had no interest in running for the office again, but he would be glad to fill in until the end of the term. He also recalled that in the past two elections, Commissioner Cindy Adams, Randolph and himself were in the top three, and the common denominator was that they were all strong conservatives.
“I was an unapologetic conservative, I wasn’t shy about it and I will continue to be that,” said Williams, as he encouraged the commission to ask themselves what the will of the people was and to vote accordingly.
Each candidate was allowed three minutes each to address the commission and explain what he or she could bring to the position. After each candidate spoke, Commissioner Cindy Adams asked the commissioners to vote for Williams since he was not a candidate for the seat’s next term. She stressed that this would keep the commission from influencing the next election.
Commission Chairman Mike Atwood explained that with the vacancy 12 votes would be required to win the seat. After each round the low vote getter would be
In the first round of voting, Williams received nine votes, Faccinto received six and Wheeler received four. Bailey, Phipps and Burgess received no votes. Wheeler was removed from the second round of voting because she received the least votes.
The second round of voting was closer with Williams leading 11-9 over Faccinto, but still short of the 12 votes needed for election.
Williams was elected by a vote of 12-8 in the third round of voting and was immediately sworn into office by Putnam County Clerk Wayne Nabors.