Board must choose new commissioner wisely
Now that the Hope Mills commissioners have declared the fifth seat on the town board officially vacant, they can turn their attention to filling the vacancy.
The list of people interested in stepping into the role is considerably lengthy.
And since the deadline for submitting a letter of interest to the town is noon Friday, the list could get even longer.
Well, here's what we think. Since we've gone this long without our final commissioner, the commissioners should now give careful consideration to who they select to fill the fifth seat.
After all, it was four months ago, in the November election, that the voters picked Tina Odom to serve on the board.
When her residency was successfully challenged, the seat went unfilled.
Now Tina Odom has moved on to seek other political office and the commissioners have a decision to make.
Should they choose former commissioner Doris Luther, who finished sixth to Odom by six votes? Or should they choose former Mayor Edwin Deaver, who has remained active in community and civic organizations in the years since he served?
Then there is former Commissioner Jerry Legge, a devotee of local youth sports and then there are Mike Mitchell, Edwin Nazario Sr. and Frances Vinell Jackson, all of whom joined the aforementioned Legge, Deaver and Luther in putting in the time and trouble necessary to campaign for a seat on the board in the November election.
Joining them in so far expressing interest are Deric Reed, who is involved with youth sports in Hope Mills and has previously served on the town's parks and recreation advisory committee, and Hope Mills resident William Stackhouse.
Whoever the commissioners choose, one thing is certain. They should choose the best person for the job based on qualifications and not based on politics.