Samantha Trantham was elected chairman and Greg Brooks vice-chairman of the Polk County Commission last Thursday, September 17, when commissioners held their monthly meeting in Benton.
While Trantham’s election was almost unanimous, it did not come without a challenge fueled by District 1 Commissioner James Woody and a rebuttal by District 1 Commissioner John Pippenger.
Electing a new chairman and vice chairman were the first orders of business on the commission’s agenda.
When the floor was opened for chairman nominations, Woody immediately nominated District 2 Commissioner Dewey Esquinance.
Trantham was nominated next.
With that nomination, Pippenger told Woody that the commission started a system several years ago where the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship would rotate between districts. Woody countered the system had not “always been that way.”
Pippinger was unyielding in his statement that the chair being elected should come from District 3, the East side of the county that Trantham represents.
With that, a vote was taken. Seven of the eight members present, including Esquinance, passed on Esquinance’s nomination with Woody being the only yes vote.
Trantham was then elected with six yes votes, a pass vote that she cast, and a no vote from Woody.
Brooks was the only nominee for vice-chair, receiving six yes votes.