LAURINBURG — The Laurinburg City Council voted to take applications to fill the late Don Rainer’s seat.

The council voted 3-1 to begin accepting applications and close the timeframe at 5 p.m. on Friday before meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to go over those applications and vote on who will fill the seat.

The decision came after much discussion from the council about the resolution created in 2013 and a suitable applicant who already requested to fill the position.

City Manager Charles Nichols explained that the process in place is that, if there is an election after 90-days of vacancy, the position would be put on that ballot.

“The General Statute kind of discussing if there is an election after the 90-days that the spot would be on that ballot,” Nichols said. “We still don’t know when that election is going to be … we also have resolution 2013.05 that is how City Council fill vacancies and addresses that. We just need staff direction on if we want to start the resolution of accepting applications or whatever council’s wishes are.”

The resolution did include that the council did not have to follow this process and could vote to put someone on the council immediately.

“This is just a resolution from a prior council,” said Attorney Bill Floyd. “The resolution itself says the council can amend it at any time. There are historical reasons for this, to provide a little bit of certainty to the process I think, transparency and an opportunity so that council is not second-guessed on the process that they go through. But it’s council’s discretion.”

Mayor Pro Tem Mary Evans made a motion to move forward without applications and appoint Rosemary Rainer, the wife of the late Don Rainer, to the seat after she expressed her wishes to continue what her husband had started.

Councilmember James Garby seconded the motion but expressed concerns about what it could lead to in the future.

“We have a process in place and it’s just one of those things where if we don’t follow policy on something like this it opens up a can of worms that we just do whatever we want to do and it’s a transparency thing,” Garby said. “It’s a terrible situation but I’m just airing on caution … I’m fine with whatever we vote on tonight because I think Ms. Rosemary is the best candidate for the position.”

Before the resolution was created when a councilmember resigned, the resigning councilmember would nominate someone for the position and be sworn in.

“It causes the question of how we operate as a unit sometimes and it has nothing to do with the candidate,” said Councilman Andrew Williamson. “It very well may be that if we were to go on with that process, knowing who has applied might cause someone else not to apply for this position. Maybe if the community hears Rosemary Rainer has expressed interest in being on the city council to succeed her husband that might be it. I do have concerns about abandoning a process even when we do have a great candidate.”

Williamson added he was first appointed to the board through the nomination process and that this would be the first time the process was being used.

“I think there’s some merit behind the policy,” Williamson said. “But I don’t think this policy says how long the application has to be … I say a very short period of time so that way we followed our policy and then I have no problem with holding a special meeting for it.”

The council did vote on appointing Rosemary on Tuesday with the vote going 2-2, with Evans and Garby voting yes and Williamson and Mary Jo Adams voting no. Since it was a tie, Mayor Jim Willis was able to vote for the first time since being elected and broke the tie with a no vote.

Immediately, Williamson made another motion that the council open applications until Friday and have the special meeting to hear from the candidates and vote on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

This motion passed 3-1, with Evans casting the lone no vote.

Those interested should contact City Clerk Jenny Tippett at 910-291-2590 or email at jtippett@laurinburg.org.

Filling his seat

Rosemary told The Exchange that she wanted to take on her late husband’s seat to finish what he started. She shared the letter she sent to the city council expressing her interest which included that she shared Don’s commitment to the city of Laurinburg and District 1.

“As Don was elected to the city council in 2019, I was by his side every step of the way,” Rosemary wrote. “Over the past two years, whether in person or virtual Zoom meetings, I have attentively followed along in every meeting that was held. Don and I have shared many conversations regarding the issues that the city was facing and held many brainstorming sessions on solutions to help make Laurinburg and District 1 a better place for years to come.”

Rosemary continued that she wanted to finish projects Don had started such as the Northside Fire Station, the IEJ Project and full completion of the water infrastructure initiative.

“As Don’s partner of more than 50 years, it is with full confidence that I say that Don would want me to be the one to fill his seat and finish what he started,” Rosemary concluded.

Honoring Rainer

During Tuesday night’s meeting, a photo of Don Rainer along with a white rose was placed at his council seat. Mayor Jim Willis presented his wife Rosemary with a resolution honoring his legacy.

The resolution shared his primary interest on the council was repairing the fire station, upgrading infrastructure and bringing productive activities to the youth in the community.

“Although passionate about his ideas and interest Councilmember Rainer was always thoughtful, considerate of others opinions resulting in healthy debate among council,” the resolution read. “Although serving on city council for a short time, Councilmember Rainer has a long history of serving this community prior to his being elected … Councilmember Rainer’s interest in the youth of this community was exemplified by his many years coaching the Scotland County Parks and Recreation Department, representing the city council on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, as a member of the I. Ellis Johnson Restoration Committee.”

The resolution also recognized his involvement in his church, Galilee United Methodist Church, and as being the husband to Rosemary and father to Reginald and Brandon.

Reach Katelin Gandee at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.