B

Sam Davidson may have defeated Chris Hawkersmith when the two were vying against each other for the vacant District 7, Seat A position in the Nov. 5 election, but the victor later came to his challenger’s aid by nominating him to fill a second vacancy, and the Franklin County Commission concurred.

Davidson had just given his oath of office and was at his first meeting on Nov. 25 when the commission was tasked with filling the District 7, Seat B position that was recently vacated with Grant Benere’s resignation.

Davidson, who recorded 955 votes to edge Hawkersmith with 859 and Alan Clark with 615 on Nov. 5, nominated Hawkersmith for the Seat B position because Hawkersmith was eligible to claim it since he also resides in District 7.

William Anderson seconded Davidson’s motion, and the 11 commissioners who were present all voted for Hawkersmith who was the only one nominated. Commissioners Carolyn Wiseman, Lydia Curtis Johnson, Tyler Bauer and Jarad Shetters were vacant from the meeting.

Davidson said after the meeting that it only seemed fitting to give Hawkersmith the OK to fill Benere’s vacancy.

“We were in unprecedented territory given that this is the first time a district has been without a commissioner,” Davidson said. “Chris finished second (in the Nov. 5 election), and the second-place finisher, in my opinion, is the one who deserves the nod.”

He explained that he and Hawkersmith, who live nearby each other in District 7, which represents Tullahoma, will be seated next to each other at the commission table.

Hawkersmith said he welcomes the prospects of serving on the commission.

“I feel great to be given the opportunity to serve the county and the district, and it will be great to work with all the county commissioners,” he said. “I’m proud to serve the community.”

Franklin County voters on Nov. 5 were deciding on who would will fill two vacant County Commission seats with Davidson claiming one.

The District 7, Seat A position was recently vacated by David Eldridge who resigned in July due to moving outside of District 7 to District 1, which represents Winchester constituents.

After resigning, he was selected by the commission as the temporary District 1, Seat A commissioner until the seat was permanently filled on Nov. 5.

The commission unanimously agreed at its Aug. 19 meeting to appoint Eldridge to fill the vacancy that occurred when Monica Baxter Jeffers resigned to become property assessor. Jeffers was running unchallenged for the position in the Aug. 1 election and captured victory by recording 1,859 complementary votes.

The commission had agreed that since Eldridge was unchallenged in the Nov. 5 election, there would be no problem with appointing him in a temporary capacity to fill the District 1, Seat A position until the election had occurred. Eldridge was also appointed back into his role as the county’s mayor pro-tem by the commission on Sept. 16.

When Eldridge and Jeffers resigned from their positions, it created two vacancies.

However, a third vacancy occurred when District 7, Seat B Commissioner Benere stepped down with his resignation letter being accepted by the commission on Sept. 16. Benere had announced that he had moved out of the Tullahoma district to Winchester and would no longer be able to serve on the commission.

With Benere’s resignation, District 7 did not have any representation until the voters decided on the Seat A position on Nov. 5.

County Mayor Chris Guess had said Benere’s resignation was submitted too late to fill the position through the Nov. 5 ballot, so the commission had to make that decision at the Nov. 25 meeting.