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Farragut board appoints Joe LaCroix to fill South Ward alderman vacancy after contested nomination
Summary
The Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed Joe LaCroix to serve the remainder of the South Ward term through August 2026 after a 3-1 vote on Sept. 25, 2025. The appointment followed six candidate presentations and a public allegation of an undisclosed conflict against the mayor, which the town attorney rejected.
The Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed Joe LaCroix on Sept. 25, 2025, to fill the vacant South Ward alderman seat through August 2026. The board voted 3-1 in favor of LaCroix; the town announced the swearing-in will occur Oct. 9, 2025.
LaCroix, who served 30 seconds of allotted extra time during his three-minute presentation, told the board he would rely on documents, subject-matter experts and resident input to guide decisions. "I'll listen to Farragut citizens and ensure those residents that could be directly affected by any upcoming decisions are informed," he said while requesting the board's trust.
The nomination and voice roll-call on the first nominee produced the recorded votes: Alderman Burnette (yes), Alderman Kane (no), Vice Mayor Meyer (yes) and Mayor Ronald Williams (yes). Town staff announced the appointment result as a 3-to-1 vote.
The selection process followed procedures adopted by the board: six qualified South Ward applicants were invited to speak in alphabetical order; nominations then proceeded and board members voted by voice roll call. Town Attorney Tom Hale had earlier explained the process and the tie-breaking rule requiring a second mayoral vote if needed.
The meeting also included a public accusation from applicant Sean Murphy that Mayor Williams had committed an ethical violation by failing to disclose a personal conflict of interest and that a lawsuit naming the mayor is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Murphy said he had documentation and urged disclosure. Mayor Williams and the town attorney rejected the point of order and said the lawsuit and related matters had been discussed previously in executive session. Tom Hale said the board and staff knew of the litigation and that the point of order was not well taken.
The appointment concludes the board's process to fill the seat left by the late Alderman David White. The board thanked all six applicants for their willingness to serve. LaCroix will assume the seat until the next municipal election in August 2026 and will be inducted on Oct. 9, 2025.
