By Ryan Lewis
Correspondent
JASPER, Tenn. — When Marion County Mayor David Kirk died suddenly last month, new Mayor John Graham said, it left a hole he felt compelled to fill.
“It was a combination of things [that led me to this job],” he said. “Primarily, I felt like there was a void left by David’s tragic death. I felt like I had some unique abilities that would lend themselves to the office, and I think I can help the county grow and improve the status of the citizens of the county.”
Graham, who was county road superintendent for 15 years, was sworn in at a ceremony in Jasper on Tuesday.
County commissioners voted unanimously for Graham at a called meeting Monday night.
Commissioner Gene Hargis, who served as interim mayor after Kirk’s death, said commissioners now need to move forward with the county’s business.
“Times are difficult and now we need to pick up the ball and start running,” Hargis said. “John brings an overall knowledge of county government and has a lot of the right connections. His character is outstanding, so he’s going to be a strong county mayor.”
Graham said he and Kirk had discussed the possibility of Graham running for the office whenever Kirk decided to step down, but he was perfectly content to stay at the highway department while Kirk led the county.
“All of the Kirk family told me that, if David ever left office, for whatever reason, that it was his wish to see me follow him,” Graham said. “That was one of the main reasons I thought about this job.
“I’m stepping into a situation that none of us wanted to happen. We all miss David.”
Graham said he was honored by the commission’s unanimous vote. When all the handshakes and hugs are done, Graham said he knows it’ll be time to get down to business.
“The first thing I’m going to do is get with the staff members and ask them how they think I need to proceed,” he said. “I know that they are more than capable doing their jobs, and I will certainly seek out their assistance. There will be a lot to learn, but I’m ready for it.”
Officials said Neal Webb will serve as the interim road superintendent after Graham formally resigned from his old position.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com
Staff writer Adam Crisp contributed to this story.