JACKSON BOARD TAPS HALL FOR COUNCIL JOB

JACKSON -- Banker and former Planning and Zoning Commission chairman Larry Hall was appointed to the Jackson Board of Aldermen Tuesday night.

Mayor Paul Sander lauded Hall's "experience and common-sense qualities" in making the appointment, which the board unanimously approved.

The 51-year-old Hall takes the Ward 4 seat formerly occupied by Jack Piepenbrok, who resigned last week after 11 1/2 years on the board. Piepenbrok cited differences with other board members for resigning.

Hall will serve the rest of Piepenbrok's two-year term, which runs until May and intends to run for election at that time.

Hall is a vice president at NationsBank in Jackson and has been a Jackson resident for 10 years. He was on the Planning and Zoning Commission for six years, serving as chairman during most of that period.

He also is a former president of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

He said he expects to spend the beginning of his tenure "getting up to speed" on the city's projects.

He wanted the job as alderman because he enjoyed his work on the Planning and Zoning Commission and said, "if everyone works together, good can come from it. The city has a lot of good things going and I want to be part of that."

Sander appointed Alderman Kerry Hoffman to take Piepenbrok's position as mayor pro tem.

"I have some big shoes to fill in replacing Jack Piepenbrok as past mayor pro tem," Hoffman said in a written statement. "Jack spent many hours during his last 11 1/2 years working to make Jackson a good place to live and work."

Sander called Hoffman a "progressive, hard-working alderman who is in touch with the issues and the citizens."

Hoffman will switch from the Power and Light Committee to the Street Committee, and Hall takes his spot on Power and Light.

Hall and his wife, Ann, who was present to see her husband sworn in, have a grown daughter, Stephanie.