News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Jackson County Commissioners appointed commission chairman Randy Heady to the county mayor position Monday night.
Heady will serve as county mayor for the next five months as he finishes out the term of Bobby Kinnaird, who passed away last month from lung cancer.
“We all hoped that this day would never come. For this day to come, that means that something had to have happened to the late James Kinnaird,” Heady said. “I appreciate them appointing me and having that confidence in me as a leader. I look forward to finishing out Mr. Kinnaird’s term and getting ready to go to work and get things done.”
Heady called the 66-year-old Kinnaird a respectable guy and admitted that he has big shoes to fill.
“I served on the budget committee under him (Kinnaird) and one thing I can say is that he always ran a good tight office,” Heady said. “I just hope that I can do that good of a job filling his shoes the next five months. I feel like I got my work cut out for me.
As far as goals over the next five months, the newly appointed mayor said he wants to focus on finishing out Kinnaird’s term, addressing some issues with solid waste, and keeping the office running until the August election.
“The ladies in the office have done a wonderful job. I’ve been in there the last few weeks since Mr. Kinnaird’s passing and they’re doing a great job,” Heady said.
4th District Commissioner Michael Copeland nominated Heady to serve as county mayor Monday night. The only other nomination came from 1st District Commissioner Jeff Smallwood, who chose Michelle Hicks as a candidate. Heady received 10 votes and Hicks received 7.
Heady has served as a county commissioner for the past eight years and as chairman of the commission for the past four years.
