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Fletcher council to fill District 1 seat after candidate forum; one applicant alleges preselection
Summary
Councilors scheduled a secret‑ballot appointment next week for a District 1 vacancy after hearing three applicants. Tom Fisher accused the council of a predetermined choice and criticized district boundaries; two other applicants, Mitch Brevard and Amber McKinney, emphasized community ties and youth programming.
Fletcher town council scheduled a ballot appointment for 6 p.m. next Monday to fill the remaining two years of the District 1 council term after three applicants introduced themselves at Monday's meeting.
Tom Fisher, an applicant, used his time to outline his vision for Fletcher and to allege that the appointment process was already decided. "Next week, in this chamber, council will hold a secret vote and appoint James Ruderman," Fisher said, adding that district lines favor a small number of large property owners and leave many neighborhoods underrepresented.
The allegation included a numerical comparison Fisher offered during his remarks: "District 3 contains only 1,100 residents, while District 1 … contains over 2,500 residents," a point he raised as part of his critique of the current council majority.
Two other applicants spoke after Fisher. Mitch Brevard described growing up in Fletcher and said he would "run a campaign in two years" if appointed, calling Fletcher "a place to live, work, and play" and urging more local dining and youth activities. Amber McKinney, who identified herself and said she has two school‑age children, said she would likewise run for election in two years and emphasized youth supports and neighborhood engagement.
Mayor Preston explained the appointment process to the public: councilors will vote by signed secret ballot at the next meeting and a simple majority of the three current voting members (two votes) is required to appoint the candidate who receives the most votes.
The council did not take a vote on the appointment at Monday's meeting. The applicants were given five minutes or less for remarks and councilors asked brief follow‑up questions about campaign intentions and priorities. The meeting notice and agenda state the appointment will occur at next week's meeting via the ballot process described by the mayor.
Next procedural step: councilors will cast signed ballots at the meeting next Monday; the candidate receiving two votes will be appointed to serve until November 2026.
