The County Board met to reorganize Monday night, but not without some conflict.
Jim Fowler was voted to another term as board chairman without any official opposition. But the office of vice-chairman -- who presides when the chairman is absent -- came down to a vote when Jay Williams was challenged by Georgia Cowger.
Cowger prevailed by an 8 to 5 vote, ousting Williams. Cowger, Fowler, Bruce Allen, Karen Barnhill, Kerry Jones, Bob Oglesby, George Henley and Gary Siebert voted in favor of Cowger; Williams, Bruce Tolley, Chuck Ingram, Joe Jackson and Danny Gibbs voted in favor of Williams.
Before the vote was taken, Ingram talked about some rumors and coffee shop talk he heard about the vote and said there apparently has been behind-the-scenes conflict in the days leading up to the meeting. While he stressed he could not verify anything that was said, Ingram heard there has been talk about Williams, "Not being a team player, a member of the board who only wants credit for himself," Ingram said.
"If anyone wants to believe that, we can sell them the Brooklyn Bridge."
Another rumor suggested Williams tried to line up enough votes to unseat Fowler as chairman.
After the meeting, Williams said he thought about running for chairman, but didn't have the votes on the board.
"Why challenge Jim Fowler?" Williams said.
Ingram said he hopes the board is not reverting back to the "old way of doing things." If there is to be a conflict, Ingram said, he would prefer to see it in the board room, not behind the scenes.
Ingram also suggested the person who gets the most votes in the General Election is traditionally chairman -- although he said he doesn't support that in this case because Fowler has been a good chairman.
After the meeting, Williams said some other counties follow the rule of thumb that the top vote-getter in the previous election becomes board chairman.
Seven board members, including Fowler, did not run in the November General Election. Their seats are up in two years.
Williams seemed philosophical about losing the vote, although he heard last night something might happen when the vote for vice-chairman took place, he said.
"That's fine. You can't have everything. You win some, you lose some," Williams said.
Williams said he hopes the vote doesn't lead to a deep division and that everyone can work for the good of Saline County.
Fowler did not come to the meeting prepared to make committee assignments because he wasn't officially chairman of the new. The Claims and Road and Bridge committees will probably be assigned first, he said. Both committees have business that needs to be attended relatively soon.
The other committee assignments will be sent to board members before the next meeting, set for 7 p.m. Dec. 18, Fowler said.
