COMMISSION VOTEFirst vote* For Chester Bankston: Chester Bankston, Tim Boyd and Warren Mackey* For Jim Fields: Jim Fields, Joe Graham, Mitch McClure, Fred Skillern, Larry Henry* Abstained: Greg BeckSecond vote* Unanimous for Jim FieldsSource: Hamilton County Clerk
Hamilton County commissioners picked a new vice chairman Wednesday in a vote that became a test of their loyalties.
Commissioners selected Commissioner Jim Fields in a 5-3 vote over Commissioner Chester Bankston, with Commissioner Greg Beck abstaining.
Afterward, Beck said he was testing commissioners to see whom they would support.
“I thought I would abstain and get a view of what was going on,” Beck said, adding the votes lined up exactly how he thought they would.
He said he had “personal reasons” why he believed commissioners would vote a certain way.
New District 3 Commissioner Mitch McClure, appointed last week, provided the fifth vote for Fields. Last month, commissioners deadlocked 4-4 between Fields and Bankston.
After commissioners selected Fields, Beck asked for and received a second vote, which was unanimous for Fields.
The vice chairman, who makes $23,921 a year, fills in when the chairman is out.
Fields said he hopes never to have to fill in for Henry.
“I’m going to make sure I pray every day for Commissioner Henry,” he said.
Bankston said the vote disappointed him.
“I only got three votes,” Bankston said as he was leaving the county courthouse. “He got five.”
The initial votes Wednesday for vice chairman mirrored the pattern of commissioners’ support for county mayor before ultimately deciding on Jim Coppinger.
Commissioners had to appoint a mayor when Claude Ramsey stepped down last month to join Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration.
Bankston, Boyd and Commissioner Warren Mackey supported Carter and voted for Bankston. Fields, Henry, Skillern and Commissioner Joe Graham supported Coppinger and voted for Fields.
Beck supported Carter but joined the unanimous second vote for Coppinger once he had secured the position.