Bristol City Council elects mayor, vice mayor and appoints city manager and city clerk at organizational meeting

The Bristol City Council met in organizational session on Jan. 2, 2025, and carried a slate of elections and appointments that set leadership and staff roles for the year. The council unanimously adopted the meeting agenda, administered oaths of office, elected Becky Nave as mayor and Jake Holmes as vice mayor, appointed Megan Erwin as city clerk and confirmed Randall C. Eads as city manager and city attorney (Eads’ appointments each passed 4-1).

Mayor Becky Nave called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.; the roll call list included Neal Osborne, Anthony Farnum, Becky Nave, Jake Holmes and Michael Pollard. Kelly Flanagan, Circuit Court Clerk, administered the oath of office to Becky Nave and Anthony Farnum early in the session.

Councilmember Neal Osborne moved to adopt the agenda as presented; Anthony Farnum seconded and the motion passed 5-0. In the organization business that followed, Osborne moved and Jake Holmes seconded a motion to elect Megan Erwin as City Clerk. The council approved the appointment, with the minutes recording votes in favor by Osborne, Farnum, Nave, Holmes and Pollard.

On the mayoral election, Jake Holmes moved and Neal Osborne seconded a motion to elect Becky Nave as mayor; the motion passed 5-0. For vice mayor, Neal Osborne moved and Michael Pollard seconded a motion to elect Jake Holmes; that motion also passed unanimously.

The council then considered appointments for the city manager and city attorney. Anthony Farnum moved and Jake Holmes seconded to appoint Randall C. Eads as City Manager; the motion passed 4-1, with Michael Pollard recorded as voting against. Separately, Neal Osborne moved and Jake Holmes seconded a motion to appoint Randall C. Eads as City Attorney; that motion likewise passed 4-1, with Pollard voting no.

Pursuant to Section 2.2-3711.A1 of the Code of Virginia, the council voted to enter a closed session at 9:13 a.m. to discuss appointments to boards and other personnel matters; the motion to enter closed session passed 5-0. Council returned from closed session at 9:52 a.m. and, by roll call, certified that only matters lawfully exempted were discussed (ayes recorded: Farnum, Holmes, Nave, Pollard, Osborne). Upon returning, council members nominated themselves to a range of councilmanic appointments and regional boards: Mayor Nave to the Chamber of Commerce, Finance Committee, BVUA and Board of Social Services; Vice Mayor Jake Holmes to several regional development and workforce boards and People Incorporated; Anthony Farnum to the Planning Commission, the Bristol TN/VA Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Board, Rhythm and Roots and other commissions; Neal Osborne and Michael Pollard to several regional authorities and committees, including the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority and the Bristol Public Library Board, among others. The minutes record these as nominations made upon return from closed session rather than separate recorded votes.

The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m.

Votes at a glance: adopt agenda — passed 5-0; elect Megan Erwin (City Clerk) — passed 5-0; elect Becky Nave (Mayor) — passed 5-0; elect Jake Holmes (Vice Mayor) — passed 5-0; appoint Randall C. Eads (City Manager) — passed 4-1 (Pollard opposed); appoint Randall C. Eads (City Attorney) — passed 4-1 (Pollard opposed).

Next steps: the council’s nominations to boards and committees will be recorded in the minutes and assigned to the listed members; no additional formal votes on those assignments are recorded in the meeting minutes.