HUNTINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Mayor Patrick Farrell on Monday appointed local auto dealer Chris Miller to the Tri-State Transit Authority (TTA) Board of Directors after discovering a member was improperly reappointed.
Miller
Miller, of the Dutch Miller Auto Group, will take the place of Randall T. Moore, who has served on the board since 2000.
Huntington City Council approved MillerÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s appointment Monday, and it will be voted on Thursday by the Cabell County Commission.
In a letter to TTA General Manager and CEO Paul Davis dated Jan. 14, Farrell said the discrepancy was found by reviewing appointments while he was transitioning into the role of mayor after the November general election. He said he determined Moore, whose reappointment was approved by the Cabell County Commission in November and the council in December, was in violation of the city charter; specifically, section 2.1 which states in part that no one who has served three full and consecutive terms on a board, agency or commission can be reappointed.
Moore served on the board for eight consecutive terms since his first appointment on June 6, 2000. Moore served in the joint Huntington ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Cabell County Commission board position. Per the city charter, Farrell said Moore is not qualified to receive the appointment.
Evan Lee, the cityÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s communications director, said in an email response Friday that the city has not found any other board or commission members in violation of the charter.
Joyce Gibson, secretary treasurer of the Southwestern District Labor Council, said Moore served an important role on the board as a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œvoice of laborÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ to the non-unionized workers of TTA for the past 24 years. The Southwestern District Labor Council represents union members who are employees at TTA.
Gibson said Moore was actively involved in negotiations of contracts between TTA and union employees.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI think the fact that laborersÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ voice will not be heard on that board in terms of projects or for employees at the TTA ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” in respects to their wages and their health care and their benefits ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” it could impact their familiesÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ future,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said.
Gibson said she reached out to Farrell and all three county commissioners on Jan. 30, but did not hear back as of Monday.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIt is our position clearly that the new mayor did not have a right to remove Randy Moore based on the state code,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Gibson said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe had resubmitted for 2025 and was approved already. There is no term limit on the board. Even though there is a state statue, as long as you resubmit and that person is certified, which he already has, then the mayor didnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have the right to remove him.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
According to Davis, the seat is not required to be held by a labor union representative; however, it traditionally has been since before Moore was appointed to the board, or for approximately 40 years.
Moore said on Monday he was unaware of a term limit for board members in the city charter, and he did not receive an official explanation from the city regarding his removal until Monday. He said a letter he received was dated Feb. 6 and postmarked Feb. 7.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIt comes as a real surprise,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Moore said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve served faithfully since 2000 and IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve served all the mayors since 2000 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” was never made aware of anything about term limits ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” all the mayors and all the councils and the county commissioners never said anything, and I have been reappointed when my terms have come up.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Moore said he would have liked to be talked to directly about the situation, but added he is proud of his years of service with the transit authority.
He said he believes the TTAÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s efforts in its help to establish Pullman Square has helped it grow and blossom into what it is today, and said it is one of his biggest accomplishments while on the board.
Moore brought the laborsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ perspective to many issues, such as pensions, arbitration matters and contract negotiations, he said.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI always tried to lend some guidance if I could to get us through those things ... and weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve done it amicably,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Moore said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m proud of things at TTA ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m proud of the way itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s been run over the years that I was associated with it.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Davis said he also was unaware of the term limit and said he was surprised when he received the letter from Farrell in January. He said MooreÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s role on the board was ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œimpactfulÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and that he would be missed.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s always had good and thoughtful things to bring to the board ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” to our meetings ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” he has been an excellent representative on our board for the union and for labor,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Davis said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œ(HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s) always been fair and impartial.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Having a labor union representative on the TTA board has created a good working relationship with TTAÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s labor union and local unions in the Tri-State, Davis said, and Moore was always instrumental in getting the Southwestern District Labor CouncilÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s support for the TTA levy.
Lee would not provide any comment Tuesday on why Miller was appointed or what made him a good fit for the board, nor has the city specified who is responsible for overseeing appointment term limits.
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