She Says The Job

Is 'Something I

Feel I Need To Do'

By AMY ROSE

Staff Writer

The board room and lobby of Greeneville Town Hall overflowed Tuesday afternoon as more than 100 citizens welcomed Laraine King as Greeneville's first woman mayor.

King and longtime aldermen W.T. Daniels and Sarah Webster were sworn in by Greene County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Kenneth Bailey Jr.

King, a First-Ward alderman since 2003, defeated outgoing mayor Darrell Bryan in the June 3 election by a margin of just 67 votes.

Daniels and Webster were unopposed in their re-election bids.

Prior to the administering of the oaths of office, Bryan, who completed three two-year terms as mayor, thanked the board for its work in the past six years. He also wished the board "good luck in the future."

As he left the meeting, King asked the crowd for a round of applause for Bryan's six years of service.

Applause also was given after King was sworn in. (Please see related video at www.greenevillesun.com.)

King said she was overwhelmed by the large turnout for her first day as mayor -- a job she called "something I feel I need to do."

Among the crowd was longtime former Greeneville Mayor G. Thomas Love.

King said the town will be facing several economic challenges in the near future. She welcomed advice from the public, saying that she will be very reachable by telephone.

Alderman To Be Appointed

King said this morning that the board will appoint a successor to fill the First-Ward Alderman seat she is vacating.

She said she will recommend a candidate for the seat, and the three remaining aldermen also can make recommendations.

A recommendation could come as early as the next board meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15.

The candidate must reside within the city's First Ward.

Anyone interested in served in the alderman seat can call Town Hall at 639-7105, King said.

Ordinances Approved

The first act of business King presided over was approval of an ordinance on second and final reading rezoning property on West Bernard Avenue from M-2 (high-impact use district) to B-4 (arterial business district).

The Greeneville Regional Planning Commission in May originally considered a request to rezone two parcels on Bernard Avenue that are for sale, but also decided to recommend the rezoning of adjoining property on Crum Street, according to Jim Snyder, Greeneville building official.

Snyder has said the rezoning would bring the area into compliance with allowable uses for the area, including the Life Care Center of Greeneville nursing home, which is not allowed in the M-2 zone.

The board also approved on second and final reading an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of one-twelfth of the estimated budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year until passage of the budget.

Beer Board Meets

When the board adjourned, it reconvened as the Greeneville Beer Board and approved a beer permit for on-premise consumption at Fat Fridays, 921 W. Main St.

Greeneville Police Chief Terry Cannon said a check of the applicant, Christine Louise Pruitt, showed no violations of city ordinances.