Mayor's Pick for City IDA Blocked

The Warrenton Board of Aldermen blocked an appointment by Mayor Jerry Dyer to fill a position on the city’s Industrial Development Authority.

Dyer had tried at the Nov. 5  meeting to fill the seat on the IDA by recommending Kent Hicks, a Warrenton businessman who previously served on the county’s IDA.

The board voted 5-1 against Dyer’s nominee, with Alderman John Clark being the only member to vote to approve the nomination.

Hicks said he really doesn’t know why the board would reject his appointment, but guessed it might have been based on some of his previous appearances at board meetings where he challenged some past decisions.

“It might have been animosity,” he said. “I’ve challenged some things like taking the free trash away from Warrenton residents. I was vocal in that. They may have let that overflow in this decision.”

“These are nonpaying positions and people aren’t standing in line to fill these,” Dyer said.

Dyer said at the next meeting he will attempt to reappoint two people to the board of adjustments, a board which handles planning and zoning appeals. There is also one vacancy and two people up for reappointment to the building board, as well as two terms expiring on the planning and zoning commission and two vacancies and one reappointment on the tourism and visitors committee.

Dyer said if the board rejects any more appointments, he will wait until after the April election to fill these positions.