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Council opens application process for East District vacancy and names Powers vice mayor
Summary
Following Councilman Hutton’s Sept. 2 resignation, council declared the East District seat vacant, set a proposed application timeline and unanimously selected Councilwoman Powers to serve as vice mayor for the remainder of the term.
At its Sept. 9 meeting the Bristol Tennessee City Council declared the East District council seat vacant following the Sept. 2 resignation of Councilman Mark Hutton and outlined an application-based appointment process the council may use to fill the seat. The council also unanimously selected Councilwoman Powers to fill the vice mayor role for the remainder of the unexpired term.
City staff presented a proposed timeline that would post an application beginning Sept. 10, keep the application open through Sept. 25, review applications at the Sept. 30 work session and, if desired, hold interviews and a called meeting immediately after the work session to make a formal appointment. The selected appointee would be sworn in at the Oct. 7 regular meeting unless the council needed the appointee to take action before that date; in that case the appointee could be sworn in earlier. Staff said applicants must reside in the East District and that standard background and residency checks would be performed.
“Council has 30 days to fill that position,” staff said, describing the charter requirement and the interchangeable options for the council to follow either a formal application-and-interview process or a less formal selection process.
Council discussed logistics of interviews and noted interviews held as a group must be posted as public meetings, while one‑on‑one conversations are permitted. Council members asked staff to post the application widely, including on social media, and to circulate incoming applications promptly so council members could review and reach out as needed.
Separately, the council selected Councilwoman Powers as vice mayor to serve the remainder of the term. Powers accepted the nomination, saying, “I’m filling a term until January 1, so, yes, I’m good with that.” A roll call recorded the vote as unanimous in favor of her selection.
Next steps: staff will post application materials and process background checks; council will consider applications at its Sept. 30 work session and may hold a called meeting to make a formal appointment before the Oct. 7 swearing-in if council requires immediate voting capacity from the appointee.
