The South Lebanon City Council elected Council member Brenda Combs as vice mayor and approved invoices during its organizational and regular meeting on Jan. 2, 2025.

The organizational meeting was held as required by the city charter (section 3.118). Council members nominated two candidates for vice mayor — Brenda Combs and Lisa Feder — and then voted by voice. The council also voted to approve invoice payments brought forward at the meeting and the mayor distributed council committee assignments to members.

Why it matters: electing a vice mayor establishes council leadership for the year and the invoice approval is part of the council's routine financial oversight.

The council opened nominations for vice mayor during the organizational portion of the meeting. Following the voice votes, Combs received four votes in favor and was declared elected vice mayor. The transcript records named votes for several members (Allen — yes; Carmack — no; Combs — yes; Feder — no; Spicer — yes) and the mayor announced the result as “With 4 votes of yay for, Brenda Combs.” The record does not list a mover or seconder for the vice mayor vote; the election was decided by member voice votes.

On a separate item, Council member Brenda Holmes moved to approve invoices and Council member Linda Allen seconded the motion. The council recorded a unanimous voice vote approving the invoices.

Council members received a packet that included committee assignments; the mayor said she would assign committees and invited members to offer suggestions after the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Election of vice mayor (nominees: Brenda Combs, Lisa Feder): Outcome — Brenda Combs elected; tally announced as 4 yes votes (result declared by the presiding officer). Individual yes/no votes recorded in the transcript include Allen (yes), Carmack (no), Combs (yes), Feder (no), Spicer (yes). Other members’ individual votes were not explicitly recorded in the transcript excerpt.

- Approval of invoices: Motion by Brenda Holmes; second by Linda Allen. Outcome — approved by voice vote (unanimous as recorded in the meeting minutes excerpt).

The council closed the organizational meeting and proceeded to the regular meeting, where department and committee reports were brief and no new ordinances or resolutions were introduced. The meeting adjourned after routine business.