Peninsula Daily News
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SEQUIM — Bob Spinks, former Sequim police chief until last year, will not assume the same position in Columbus, Miss., even though one City Council member said Spinks had the “it” factor.
By a vote of 4-2, the Columbus council selected Selvain McQueen, a member of the city’s Police Department, as the new police chief, the The Dispatch of Columbus reported.
The council made the decision Monday night inside the Municipal Complex during a special meeting to make an official selection for the position. The police chief appointment was the only item on the agenda, and there was no discussion prior to voting.
The votes went along racial lines. Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem, Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens, Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor and Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart — all of whom are black — voted in favor of appointing McQueen, who also is black.
Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin — who are white — voted against appointing McQueen.
The council did not have any discussion of the three finalists on the heels of Thursday’s interviews. Curtis Brame, of North Chicago, Ill., and Spinks were the other two finalists who interviewed for the position in front of the council, mayor and around 30 residents.
Gavin, who used an interview evaluation sheet to determine his personal selection, said before the meeting began than Spinks was his choice.
“Spinks won the interview process, and he had the ‘it’ factor,” Gavin told The Dispatch. “I’m going to try and get him nominated, but we’ll see if it works.”
However, he did not get a window of opportunity as Karriem made the motion to appoint McQueen immediately after Mayor Robert Smith introduced the item. Mickens made the second.
Box said after the meeting that his vote against appointing McQueen was not a vote against him as much as it was a vote in favor of Spinks.
“I just had my thoughts about supporting Spinks,” Box said.
