David NortonWHAT’S NEXTHamilton County Commissioners will appoint a replacement for District 3 Board of Education member Everett Fairchild, who is stepping down on March 15. Commission Chairman Larry Henry said he wants to interview candidates in private, the same as commissioners did with General Sessions judge candidates.
Newly appointed interim General Sessions Judge David Norton will be sworn in Tuesday, and the campaign for his seat on the bench already has begun.
Before the appointment process began, Norton was seen by some Hamilton County commissioners as the front-runner. Then commissioners voted Thursday morning — 7-1, without any discussion — to replace late General Sessions Judge Bob Moon.
Norton, an assistant county attorney who has served for 28 years as the Soddy-Daisy city judge, will serve until an Aug. 2 nonpartisan special election is held.
Attorney Bryan Hoss, who submitted his application for the judgeship and pledged to be a caretaker, meaning he wouldn’t run in the August election, said he wasn’t surprised by the vote or lack of debate.