Commission hopes stalemate ends soon

FLORENCE - Lauderdale County Commission Chairman Dewey Mitchell said he hopes the stalemate with the Florence City Council over a joint tourism board appointment can be resolved soon.

His remarks came during a work session Tuesday afternoon where the commission discussed the impasse on the appointment.

Last week, the commission suggested a committee of two commissioners and two Florence City Council members could make a nomination that would end the deadlock over the appointment for the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board.

At the Sept. 28 commission meeting, commissioners by a 3-2 vote reappointed Bill Hunt to the position. The Florence City Council, however, voted unanimously Oct. 20 to nominate Jan Ingle to the position. Both entities must agree on the appointment.

After last week's meeting, the commission sent the City Council a letter informing the council of their recommendation to end the impasse.

Tuesday, Mitchell said he had received a letter from City Council Chairman James Barnhart.

Before Tuesday evening's City Council meeting, during a work session, the council agreed to appoint council members Barry Morris and Andy Betterton to the committee.

During the commission work session, Commissioner Rhea Fulmer said the committee would not be needed if one of the two commissioners - D.C. Thornton or Larry Irons - would change their vote and vote in favor of Ingle for the appointment.

"Myself and Fay (Parker) have said we would support Jan Ingle. So, if one of the other commissioners would change their vote, there wouldn't be a need for the committee," Fulmer said.

Neither Irons nor Thornton said they were willing to change their vote.

Thornton said he had not had a chance to review Ingle's application.

"We have a good candidate in Mr. Hunt and the city feels the same way with their nomination," Irons said. "We've just got to work through this disagreement."

Mitchell said the commission should let the committee proceed with what it is proposed to do, which is to work through the impasse and make a recommendation to the council and commission.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.