JASPER, Tenn. — Marion County has a new mayor — John Graham.
On Monday, county commissioners unanimously approved the nomination of Graham, who has been the county’s road superintendent for the past 15 years.
The appointment followed the sudden death of newly elected Mayor David Kirk last month.
Of the three applicants for the job, Graham was the only one nominated by a county commissioner.
“I’m humbled by the vote, and I appreciate the opportunity,” Graham said. “I have some talents that I think will work well in the office of the county mayor. We have a lot of major issues in this county that we need to start working on tomorrow. I will work just as hard in this job as I have as highway superintendent.”
Graham said support from Kirk’s family helped him choose to seek the appointment.
“I never thought I would be in this position, and following the tragic death of a friend to all of us is a terrible way to have to come into a new job,” he said. “When this position came about, and I knew the family’s wishes, their support helped me to make this decision.”
Commissioner Jane Dawkins said the appointment was the result of an unfortunate situation, but the board was lucky to find such a solid replacement.
“The circumstances that brought us to having to take this action were certainly tragic, and I think it’s something we’ll never ever forget,” she said. “This is someone I have known for a lifetime, and I can certainly vouch for him. He’s intelligent. He’s level-headed, and those qualities have allowed him to excel in his career.”
Dawkins said the county mayor’s job has grown over the past decade.
“This position has become an almost global position,” she said. “We need someone who can present themselves well when recruiting industry all over the world.”
Graham will be sworn in at the Marion County Courthouse in Jasper today at 8:30 a.m. CST.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.