Lowndes County supervisors were informed during their meeting today that Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors member Leon Ellis will not seek reappointment.
Supervisors appointed Ellis in September 2012 to fill the unexpired term of former CVB board president George Swales. Ellis’ term expires Feb. 6.
Ellis notified county leaders of his intentions via a letter, saying he’d enjoyed his time of service on the board. He could not be reached for comment at press time.
County board president Harry Sanders said Friday he expected there would be multiple applications from people to replace Ellis for the next four years. He was one of two at-large appointments supervisors make along with a business industry appointment and a hotel industry appointment. Rissa Lawrence is currently the other at-large member. Bart Wise and Mark Castleberry represent the business and hotel industries.
If supervisors do not find a replacement for Ellis by the time the term expires, there will be two vacancies on the CVB board.
One slot has been empty since June. Sanders and Columbus Mayor Robert Smith removed their only appointee, Harvey Myrick, at that time due to concerns Myrick had been too closely affiliated with an event that received CVB grant funding. A full CVB board has nine members. Columbus councilmen appoint the other four members.
More information on today’s meeting will be published in Tuesday’s edition of The Dispatch.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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