LAUREL HILL — The City Council has a new, fifth member after months of deadlocking on the decision.
City leaders on Thursday voted 3-1 to appoint Travis Dewrell to serve the seat Johnny James once occupied.
Councilwoman Debra Adams voted nay in the 3-1 vote.
James stepped down from the dais in April, upon learning his residence is outside Laurel Hill city limits.
Dewrell's appointment followed the council's provisional acceptance of James' application to have his property annexed into the city.
"I've been coming here three months," Dewrell said after the vote. "I was expecting to be nominated again, but not appointed. I expected it (the vote) to be 2-2 for the next however long."
Council Chairman Larry Hendren immediately swore Dewrell into office.
"It'll be different," Hendren said, having also presided over a four-member council for 18 months before the filling of a vacant seat in the March elections.
"I think it's wonderful to have a five-person council," he said. "No more tie votes."
"Hopefully we'll get some stuff done now," said Dewrell, who will start serving the city in December. "We won't always be two-to-two."
During the meeting, the council again failed to appoint a vice chairman due to deadlocked votes.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill council selects fifth member