Last month’s election created a vacant seat on the Spencer Board of Aldermen. Traditionally this seat is filled by the next highest vote receiver from the previous election cycle. This would be former Alderman Howard White, who sat on the previous board, only losing by a handful of votes.

This was brought up at the November town meeting by two sitting aldermen and quickly stifled by the mayor. This resulted in a heated exchange as he and the resigning alderman want their friend to fill the seat.

These seats, which are elected by the citizens of Spencer, should rightfully be offered to Mr. White before anyone else is even considered. The whole point of having elections is for the citizens to decide their representatives. What then is the point when there is a vacant seat if it can be filled by the whims of one or two individuals?

Mr. White has only been off the board for one year and has kept himself up to date with the town’s dealings. As a former resident of Spencer who stays in touch with numerous citizens, I can say there are a large number of citizens who are displeased with this situation.

Along with many other Spencer residents I say to the mayor and the town board, “Do the right thing, follow town tradition, and offer this vacant seat to Mr. White, the individual to whom it rightfully belongs.”

— Kelly A. Miller

Kannapolis