A new commissioner will take a seat on the Salina City Commission. Commissioners on Monday by a vote of 3-1 named Melissa Hodges to replace Randall Hardy.
The vote to name Hodges as a commissioner came after commissioners first deadlocked 2-2 on naming Joe Hay Jr. as a commissioner. Hay narrowly lost out in the last election to Hardy for a commission seat, losing the seat on a recount following a coin flip.
Commissioner Karl Ryan initially made a motion for Joe Hay. Mayor Kaye Crawford seconded it. The motion then failed on a 2-2 tie vote.
Following further discussion, commissioner Trent Davis made a motion for Melissa Hodges and commissioner Jon Blanchard seconded it. That motion passed by a vote of 3-1 with commissioner Ryan casting the lone dissenting vote.
Commissioner Hardy did not participate in either of the votes.
Fourteen different people expressed interest in filling the seat. Along with Hodges and Hay, others who expressed interest in filling the open seat include:
- Jason Bathon
- Doug Rudick
- Jeffrey Bachman
- Emma Doherty
- David Nichols
- Melissa Hodges
- Wayne Montgomery
- Owen Freiburger
- Joe Hay Jr.
- Brian Weisel
- John Price
- Stephen Cook
- Greg Stephens
- Michael Reid
Monday was Hardy’s final regularly scheduled meeting. He is resigning the city commission seat after winning a seat in the Kansas State Senate in the November general election.
