Danville appoints members to ARB, ethics boards

Appointing new members to the Danville Ethics Board as well as the Architectural Review Board was a major point of discussion at Monday’s City Commission meeting.

Each commissioner was asked to make two nominations to expedite the process of replacing Paul Smiley, an ethics board member who recently resigned citing a potential conflict of interest because he is a candidate for City Commission. 

The commission also was charged with the responsibility of filling the positions for two alternates to replace any future ethics board members who resign.

Mayor Bernie Hunstad nominated Ann Nagy and Vicki Leake, while Commissioner J.H. Atkins nominated former ethics board member Linda TIllman. 

Commissioner Kevin Caudill selected Denise Lister and Jim Stewart, while Commissioner Gail Louis nominated Vi Wilmot and Baker Williams. 

Commissioner Ryan Montgomery did not submit any names for consideration before the meeting.

During the lengthy process, which required multiple motions as well as votes from city commissioners, Atkins and Caudill tried several times to get Tillman reappointed as a full member or an alternate. Louis also cast votes in favor of Tillman.

But ultimately, the commission selected Baker Williams as the newest member of the ethics board in a 4-1 vote. 

Atkins cast the sole dissenting vote, once again voting for Tillman.

Commissioners elected Jim Stewart to the first alternate position in a 4-1 vote, with Atkins once again casting the sole dissenting vote.

For the second alternate, commissioners voted 4-1 to appoint Vicki Leake. Again, Atkins voted “no.”

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Danville resident Mark Morgan said he was disappointed Tillman was not reappointed to the ethics board even as an alternate.

“I think (those votes) speak volumes about the commission,” Morgan said.

The controversy started in June, when Tillman was replaced at the end of her term without being asked if she wished to serve again. She was the board’s lone African-American as well as female member. James Hunn, an ex-Marine and local African-American activist, was appointed last month to fill her vacant position. 

Hunstad said during several recent meetings that he did not intend to oust Tillman from her seat but thought other people from the community should get a chance to serve.

But in other business, the mayor supported the appointment of someone who already serves on the ethics board to the Architectural Review Board.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to accept Hunstad’s reappointment of Vaughn Frey to the Architectural Review Board.

Before the vote, Caudill asked the mayor if Frey was also serving on another board. Hunstad said Frey is a member of the ethics board. Caudill and Atkins voted against the reappointment of Frey to the Architectural Review Board.

Hunstad recommended commissioners reappoint Tom Tye to the Architectural Review Board, to which Caudill once again asked if Tye also serves on another board. 

The mayor said Tye was a member of the ethics board but was leaving that position because of a move outside of Danville’s city limits.