By Ben Benton
Staff Writer
DUNLAP, Tenn. -- Monday night's election in Sequatchie County of a new County Commission chairman also decided who will take the helm in January when the county executive's seat becomes vacant.
Commissioners on Monday elected Tommy Johnson to the chairman's seat. When County Executive David B. Barker steps down on Dec. 31, Mr. Johnson will assume the position.
Mr. Barker announced in August that he will leave his post Dec. 31 for health reasons.
Mr. Johnson will hold the seat until the Commission meets Jan. 21 to appoint an interim to serve until the August 2008 county general election, officials said.
Mr. Johnson said he would "decide later" whether to put his name in the hat for the interim job.
"We may decide to appoint someone earlier" than Jan. 21, Mr. Johnson said.
Mr. Johnson said he's been talking to state officials about the commission's options.
"It's possible the commission could appoint someone in an assistant position to work with Mr. Barker" before he leaves the county executive's post, Mr. Johnson said.
Mr. Barker said last month he has known his health was deteriorating for the past year but over the summer his doctors told him there was "no choice." The only way for treatment to work was if he retired and changed his lifestyle, he said.
Mr. Barker was appointed county executive in 2004. He was County Commission chairman when then-County Mayor Connie Easterly resigned after unflattering state audits and other issues led to discussion of a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe and ouster proceedings.
Mr. Barker ran for the county executive seat in November of 2004 and was unopposed when it went on the ballot in 2006, records show. He said his goal was to make his exit from office as smooth a transition as possible.
Mr. Johnson said his role for the first three weeks of the year will be to make sure the transition in county executive's office goes as smoothly as possible.
E-mail Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com
TIMELINE
Dec. 31: David B. Barker's resignation becomes effective
Jan. 1: Commission Chairman Tommy Johnson assumes county executive's post
Jan. 21: Commission appoints interim county executive
Aug. 7: County general election
Source: Sequatchie County and Tennessee officials
