HMDA Reelects Millne as Chairman
By Art Harvath
In a critical vote Monday the Huntington Municipal Development Authority reelected Tim Millne as its chairman for 2003-2004. Millne, nominated by Authority member Vickie Shaffer, defeated Grant McGuire with an 8-6 vote.
Members David Felinton, Jack Thornburgh, Vickie Shaffer, Dale Stephens, Lenora Sutphin, Millne, Frances Jackson and Jack Williams voted for Millne. Members Randy Cheatham, McGuire, Trey Hanshaw, Cal Kent, Richard Flowers and Roger Smith voted for McGuire. Bill Denman was absent.
“We are in a process of change that I think has been largely due, the credit is largely due, to the present officers,” said Shaffer in making the proposal to keep the same slate of officers. Shaffer gave credit to Millne for redirecting the HMDA’s activities in line with the mission of the Authority and its bylaws.
Shaffer said officers had approached her and told her they would like to have the opportunity to serve another term. McGuire, HMDA’s vice president for the 02-03 term, said he would not be a vice presidential nominee.
“Actually, I am an officer and I appreciated your service,” McGuire told Millne, “I would not be comfortable in continuing service as vice president. I have a different method of proceeding, and maybe it’s just that I’ve been on too many boards, but I feel like we ought to see more committee action and I don't feel comfortable serving in the status quo,” he said. He said he did not indicate to Shaffer that he wanted to serve another term as vice president.
McGuire said he would be happy to move to the chairman’s position, which he said has been the action the board has taken the last couple of years. “But I’m not content to serve the status quo,” he repeated. Millne asked McGuire if he were placing himself in nomination for HMDA’s chairman. “I will,” McGuire replied.
Roger Smith, the newest member of the Authority, said he was surprised by the nomination of the same slate of officers. He said he assumed the 02-03 officers would move up to the next position and then nominated McGuire for the chairmanship. Smith said that was the way it was done on the boards on which he has sat.
“When I went through my material yesterday and I saw where Grant was vice president, I just assumed today that he would automatically go in as president and that’s kind of a surprise to me,” said Smith. Shaffer told the board that others have served back-to-back terms as HMDA chairman. Ron Smith, chairman of the Huntington Urban Renewal Authority, has served back-to-back terms on that board.
Huntington mayor David Felinton supported Millne’s reelection to the chairman’s position. “I would like to echo the comments of the former chair (Shaffer) in that this has been a transitional time here. Under Mr. Millne’s leadership he has held the Authority together and we have stayed focused on being the Municipal Development Authority in which our interests are the interests of the city,” said Felinton. He said it was entirely up to the Authority whom they elect as its chairman.

In other HMDA business:

The Authority elected Richard Flowers as vice chairman, Lenora Sutphin as secretary and Jack Williams as treasurer.
Frances Jackson, Randy Cheatham and Grant McGuire were elected to the Authority’s seven member executive committee. The four officers are also members of that committee.
The Authority hired Bill Toney as its executive director. Toney has been serving as interim director since Becky Boright resigned in August. The city and the Authority will share the costs of his salary, so it will take a vote of the Huntington city council to approve the appointment. Toney will serve as HMDA executive director and Huntington’s economic development director.