Monday marked the end of an era in politics for the City of West Orange. Longtime mayor Roy McDonald stepped down and turned the reins over to Randy Branch who was elected to be the new mayor on May 1.
Branch also serves as a pastor of a church where he replaced his predecessor who served over 40 years there and will now fill the shoes of McDonald who was mayor for over 26 years. “I’m not going to be here for another thirty something years, but I’m going to do the best job I can and try to fill this spot just as good as Roy has over the years,” Branch promised.
Branch received his oath of office as did council member Brent Dearing to his second term, and Merritta Kennedy who is returning to the West Orange City Council after 17 years. Kennedy served two terms on the council between 2001 and 2004.
Kennedy is glad to be able to serve her city again. She will also be the Mayor Pro-Tempore after being approved by the other members of the council.
City Attorney Chris Leavins announced a change in the status of bids for the purchase of a new fire engine for the West Orange Volunteer Fire Department. Leavins said the City Council did actually vote to reject all the bids at its meeting on Tuesday, May 4.
Leavins reviewed the West Orange City Charter and determined that a vote to reject all bids did pass despite an abstaining vote cast by Dearing which was originally ruled at the meeting as a vote against the motion resulting in a tie vote. Leavins stated, “As it stands now all the bids were rejected.”
The grant administrator with Traylor & Associates will send out the same bid specifications for the new fire engine which should take a few days to process. A special called meeting of the City Council has been scheduled for Friday, May 14, at 12 noon to approve the specifications.
The West Orange Volunteer Fire Department does have a new volunteer. Billy Earl Moore, Jr. was approved by the council to serve on the department.
The council approved the tax exemptions for the 2021 tax year. The exemptions will remain unchanged with the Homestead Exemption at 20 percent, the Senior Citizen Exemption, and the Disabled Citizen Exemption both at $17,000.
A five-year extension of the contract with Piney Woods Sanitation was approved. The contract with Piney Woods is currently in its fourth year with the five-year extension to start October 1, 2021.
Public Works Director Jon Sherwin will be appointing a new Building Inspector. The city’s Organizational Chart was amended to have the Building Inspector report to Sherwin as the Public Works Director.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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