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Benton County commissioners elect Rosanne K. Ward chair; Jeff Murphy named chair pro‑tem; 6th District commissioner signals resignation
Summary
At the Sept. 16 Benton County Commission meeting, commissioners elected Rosanne K. Ward chair and Jeff Murphy chair pro‑tem and approved a motion to authorize the county attorney to send a letter to 1st District Commissioner Stephen Stokes; Commissioner Darrell Hicks notified the board he intends to resign the 6th District seat.
Rosanne K. Ward was elected chair of the Benton County Board of Commissioners and Jeff Murphy was elected chair pro‑tem during the board's Sept. 16 meeting at the Benton County Courthouse.
County Clerk Wanda Malin presided temporarily for nominations. Commissioner Keith Arnold nominated Rosanne K. Ward for chair; on a roll‑call vote the board elected Ward with 15 Ayes, 0 No, 1 Pass (Ward) and 2 Absent (Stephen Stokes and Darrell Hicks). Jeff Murphy was elected chair pro‑tem on a separate roll‑call vote, 15 Ayes, 0 No, 1 Pass (Murphy), 2 Absent.
The leadership votes followed opening business including invocation and roll call. The temporary presiding county clerk, Wanda Malin, administered the nominations and the meeting resumed with Rosanne K. Ward as chair.
During "Any Other Business," Commissioner Darrell Hicks phoned the meeting to notify commissioners of his intent to resign as the 6th District commissioner. Commissioners discussed next steps briefly and then considered a separate personnel‑related motion.
Commissioner Keith Arnold moved and Commissioner Douglas seconded a motion authorizing County Attorney James W. Melton to send a letter to 1st District Commissioner Stephen Stokes asking him to either resign or "show up and do what Commissioner Stokes was elected to do as Benton County's 1st District Commissioner." The motion carried on a roll‑call vote, 16 Ayes, 0 No, 2 Absent.
Chairman Ward closed the meeting after routine adjournment motions. The board noted the West Tennessee Commission meeting scheduled for next Thursday and an announcement that Jennifer Wheatly will provide food at the October commission meeting.
What happens next: the board will need to follow its local process for filling a vacancy if Commissioner Hicks formally resigns; no appointment or special‑election date was specified in the meeting record.
