BY MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
GLASGOW NEWS 1
The Glasgow Common Council has approved the mayor’s chosen appointment of Guy Howie as the next chief of the Glasgow Police Department, but the vote was not unanimous.
Howie had been chief from 2015 to 2019, and Jennifer Arbogast was chosen by the administration at the time as his successor.
Glasgow Police Department Chief Jennifer Arbogast recites the Pledge of Allegiance as Monday’s regular meeting of the Glasgow Common Council gets underway. Arbogast is retiring effective April 1. MELINDA J. OVERSTREET / GLASGOW NEWS 1
Arbogast told Glasgow News 1 last month that Mayor Henry Royse had requested her resignation but then agreed to allow her to retire, and the anticipated date for that was April 1. Howie is expected to take the helm April 17 for the second time.
Royse told GN1 last week that Maj. Terry Flatt would have the position of interim chief between the time Arbogast’s retirement takes effect and Howie starts.
When the item came up at Monday’s regular council meeting, Councilwoman Marna Kirkpatrick, whose husband is a GPD captain, had recused herself during the discussion, leaving 8 possible votes for the municipal order with all present.
Councilman Terry Bunnell said that though he respected the mayor’s authority to nominate an appointee but also acknowledged the responsibility of the council, as legislative body, to approve or deny the appointment, and he respects the police department.
“I cannot vote for this municipal order. With the aim to move forward with the police department, a new direction, new leadership, we as the city need to look outside, so I ask you to consider voting no on this municipal order,” Bunnell said.
“This is not interim [appointment]?” Councilman Freddie Norris asked.
“No,” Royse said. “This is to fulfill the open spot of police chief. It won’t be open until April 1st.”
In a voice vote, the affirmative votes clearly prevailed, but it was unclear who voted in the other direction, so after the meeting, Glasgow News 1 polled the members besides Bunnell, and Councilman Marlin Witcher said he was the other person voting in opposition. Councilman Freddie Norris told GN1 that he didn’t vote at all, but abstentions are counted as a majority vote.
Howie and his wife Debbie had been in the audience during the meeting, and they spent some time afterward meeting and greeting a few others who were there.
Howie told GN1, “We’re happy to be here. I look forward to getting things on track and moving forward, and putting the negative behind and just moving forward.”
When asked whether he had spoken with Arbogast any, he said he had not. She had left by this time.
“Is she here? … I didn’t see her,” he added after being informed that she had been seated a few rows behind him.
Other items
Monday’s council agenda also included the formal appointment and swearing in of April Russell as interim superintendent of the Glasgow Department of Public Works, though she has essentially been serving in that capacity since late January, when Royse fired then-superintendent Roger Simmons. Russell has continued serving in her regular roles as the city’s grant writer/administrator and stormwater manager as well during this time.
Royse told GN1 he anticipates an answer from the candidate of choice by the middle of this week.
April Russell, who was formally appointed as interim superintendent for the Glasgow Department of Public Works on Monday, answers questions from the Glasgow Common Council about potential grant applications, as she is also the city’s grant writer/administrator as well as stormwater manager. MELINDA J. OVERSTREET / GLASGOW NEWS 1
Other agenda items approved included:
— second reading of an ordinance changing the city’s procurement procedures, such as choosing winning bids, by repealing the current one and defaulting to a state law with regard to such actions;
— municipal orders to reappoint Brian Clemmons to the Glasgow Economic Development Loan Fund Board of Directors, Janis Turner to the Historic Preservation Commission as a representative of the Joint City-County Planning Commission of Barren County and Jane Baker to the Historic Preservation Commission;
— resolutions allowing grant applications that relate to the recycling program and to rehabilitate/replace airfield lighting that is approaching 30 years of age, when the “useful life” of such lights is typically 12 years; and
— a resolution to dispose of surplus Glasgow Fire Department property – a 2003 Pierce Contender fire engine.
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