FAIRMONT – Following a brief closed session, the Fairmont Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Gerald Gaddy by a 5-0 vote as the new member of the Fairmont ABC Board on Tuesday during its regular monthly meeting.

Commissioner Melvin Ellison was not allowed to vote because he manages the local ABC store and, therefore, works for the ABC Board.

Before entering executive session, board members were unable to agree on a replacement for one of its Alcohol Beverage Control Board members who had resigned her position. That was Cynthia Dudley, who had served as the chairwoman.

The meeting was held downtown at the Fairmont-South Robeson Heritage Center.

On June 2, Town Manager Jerome Chestnut was notified of the pending resignation of Dudley, one of the three ABC Board members. The board normally consists of three members, but with the resignation, it was operating with only two.

Citing medical reasons, her resignation is effective Aug. 1, Chestnut said.

An appointment was needed to fill the vacancy.

“In accordance with North Carolina General Statute, if the chairman’s seat becomes vacant, the appointed authority may either designate either a new member or existing member of the local board to complete the chairman’s term. Based on our previous and historical practices here in the town of Fairmont, it has been based on seniority,” Chestnut said.

Deploying that same town policy, existing ABC Board member Dwayne McCormick – who has seniority among the two final members – was recommended as the new chairman.

McCormick passed muster with the approval of the commissioners.

With that, a third ABC Board member was then needed to fill McCormick’s former spot.

The vacancy for the position had been advertised on the town’s website, Facebook page, at Town Hall and in The Robesonian, meeting agenda materials stated.

The deadline to apply was 5 p.m. on June 20, and the town received eight applications. Two of those applicants lived outside the town limits, making them ineligible.

“In lieu of these six applications,” agenda materials stated, “commissioners may also consider other applicants if they reside within town limits. In accordance with NC General Statute 18B-700 (d), the appointing authority shall appoint members of a local board on the basis of the appointees’ interest in public affairs, good judgment, knowledge, ability and good moral character.”

By seniority, the commissioners were then given a chance to make a recommendation during the meeting.

Initially, Commissioner Terry Evans recommended Khairalla Aziz, a business owner in town who is perhaps better known as “Mr. G.” He was not on the list.

“Mr. Mayor, I have read the applicants that have applied for it. They are excellent residents. These are wonderful people,” Evans said. “Well qualified and well deserving, but out of these applicants, I’m looking for something more. And the individual I’m thinking of, he knows the community.”

Evans said more diversity was needed in the ABC Board and, as a native Arab, Aziz would be a good choice. “I want to reflect the community,” Evans said. “It’s about building the town and what he could bring to this community.”

He made the motion to appoint Aziz, but the motion died when there was no second from the six-member Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Jan Tedder-Rogers then recommended Vayda Taylor with a motion. That, too, died on the floor with no second from her fellow commissioners.

At that point, Commissioner Heather Seibles got her opportunity, recommending Doreen McNeill. Her choice was seconded by Jeffrey McCree.

Doreen McNeill is the wife of Commissioner Clarence McNeill.

The entire board was then ushered into closed session, where it appears the determination was made that Commissioner McNeill could not vote for his wife.

After coming out of closed session, the remaining board voted, splitting 2-2 on Doreen McNeill’s possible appointment. Because of the tie, Mayor Charles Kemp cast his vote, which was in opposition to her appointment.

That made the final vote 3-2 against her appointment.

Evans recommended Aziz a second time for the position, but again that motion failed to muster a second.

Clarence McNeill followed up with his choice of Gaddy, which ended up passing by a 6-0 vote.

In other business, the Fairmont Board of Commissioners:

– Approved an application for the opportunity to host a Climate Action Corps member which, Town Manager Chestnut said, “is a resiliency project coordinator.”

According to Chestnut, the resilience project coordinator will increase the staff’s capacity to address flooding and stormwater issues without having to fund an additional position.

The state, he said, is paying for these in-residency projects across North Carolina.

Should Fairmont be selected as a host, the coordinator is expected to start his duties around September.

–Voted to accept the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s ARPA grant in the amount of roughly $14.8 million and State Fiscal Recovery loan in the amount of more than $230,000.

Prior to his arrival in Fairmont, Chestnut said, the town was awarded the grant and loan for sewer rehabilitation within the municipality. The state has since forgiven the loan portion of the money.

“That saves us a lot of money. It makes the entire amount a grant,” he said on Wednesday. “We’ll be able to do a lot of sewer rehab. It’s definitely needed, and it strengthens the wastewater system here in Fairmont for the regional wastewater system.”