DECATUR - New Macon County Board Chairman Jay Dunn, D-Decatur, expanded two board committees and even appointed more Republicans than Democrats to one of them to put people where they wanted to be.

With a list passed to board members before their regular monthly meeting Thursday evening, Dunn named Jerry Potts, D-Decatur, as the new chairman of a Transportation Committee composed of Republicans Patricia Cox of Macon, Kevin Greenfield of Decatur, Phil Hogan of Dalton City, Ed Yoder of Oakley and David Williams of Maroa, with Tim Dudley, D-Decatur, rounding out the group.

Williams, who retains his position as vice chairman of the committee, thanked John Snyder, D-Decatur, during the meeting for his effective service as transportation chairman since August. "I enjoyed working with him," Williams said.

"If you five Republicans don't behave with Mr. Potts, he might be back," Dunn warned during a lighthearted moment during the 25-minute session, his first regular meeting as board chairman.

Democrats outnumber Republicans on the remaining committees 4 to 3, with Dudley replacing Dunn as chairman of the Environment, Education, Health and Welfare Committee and the other committee chairmen retaining their positions, with Bryan Smith, D-Decatur, over an expanded Operations, Personnel and Legislation Committee; Bill Oliver, D-Decatur, leading Negotiations; and Snyder over Justice.

"I tried to give each board member their two top picks," Dunn said.

Dunn also expanded the Macon County Building Subcommittee to seven members, retaining David Drobisch, R-Decatur, as chairman, and combined three board subcommittees into one - Siting, Rules and Ordinance - naming Kevin Meachum, D-Decatur, as chairman and Dudley as vice chairman.

During the caucus before the meeting, Dunn told Democrats he will probably try to get chairman's pay approved for Meachum at the January meeting because his subcommittee will be busy, with an anticipated application to expand the Veolia ES Valley View Landfill in Harristown Township and other matters.

No one objected to Dunn's committee appointments, and his nomination of former public defender Jon Baxter, a Democrat from Decatur, to fill a vacant District 1 board seat was approved 19-0, with Verzell Taylor, D-Decatur, absent.

In other business, the board approved a resolution to assign a sheriff's lieutenant to the Macon County Animal Control and Care Center. Sheriff Tom Schneider said he plans to announce the promotion of one of his sergeants to that position next week.

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