news-record.com

Newly appointed Stokesdale Town Councilman Bobby Richardson is ready to work.

“I think we need to make some peace,” he said.

The council voted unanimously to appoint Richardson in a special meeting Aug. 27, one week after Norman Cook resigned.
Cook left at the height of a debate about the town’s plan to build a new town hall.

“I’m very dissatisfied with the disgruntled citizens and the neighbor against neighbor,” Richardson said.

“This is a small town, and everybody knows everybody. It’s a pity everyone can’t get along.”

Cook’s resignation came as a shock to the council.

“We were real sorry to see him go,” Mayor Pro Tem Mickie Holbrook said.

“But it was his idea, not ours.”

It was, however, Holbrook’s idea to ask Richardson to serve the remaining two years of Cook’s term.

“He’s been on the council before, he’s a wonderful person in the community, and we felt like it would be a good thing for the council to have someone experienced,” she said.

Richardson was appointed to fill a remaining term in 2006 after the town of Stokesdale changed the way the mayor is elected.

He also served as the chairman for the Stokesdale Fire District.
Richardson’s experience prevents the council from “having to go through the learning curve,” Mayor Randle L. Jones said.

“I think the council wanted to find someone we could be unanimous on. He has a lot of respect in the community ... and we tried to look to those who’ve served before.”

Contact Tiffany S. Jones at 373-7157 or tiffany.jones@news-record.com