Brian Carlton on board flip-flop

Editor Brian Carlton of the Union County Weekly, who does a good job of covering Waxhaw, has a article on the board's recent about face regarding filling Haug's empty seat in the latest issue. And it is significantly more detailed than the article I discussed earlier from the Enquirer-Journal.

The entire article is pretty detailed and worth reading, but here's a snippet.

One week after a majority of the town board opposed such an idea, Waxhaw commissioners reversed course and announced they would consider appointing a replacement for commissioner Brian Haug. During their Monday, Jan. 17 meeting, council members voted 3-2, with Mayor Daune Gardner breaking the tie, to refrain from appointing Haug’s successor for at least six months. One week later, after criticism from voters and threat of a lawsuit, the council unanimously agreed to hear what options they have and potentially discuss candidates.

“That motion by me (to delay six months) was a spur of the moment decision, which came after our board failed to agree on a candidate,” town commissioner Erin Kirkpatrick said. “My goal is to find someone impartial, someone that will vote on issues rather than for friends.”

Ignoring the fact that they will never find someone impartial to fill the seat, the original decision to delay the process by at least six months makes it seem like filling the seat was not a terribly pressing goal to those who voted that way.

Here's to hoping the board can find someone to keep the seat warm until the next election. I think someone like Max Walker, who failed in his bid for re-election the last go around would be an ideal candidate, assuming he is even interested. Surely there are number of other citizens interested enough in town business to be considered. (Full disclosure: Max Walker is a Facebook friend of mine. But I know him about as well as the rest of my Facebook friends if that tells you anything.)