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FAIRMONT — The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday appointed Kim Ammons to fill the seat of Commissioner Perry Ashley, who announced her resignation at last month’s meeting.

In a tie vote broken by Mayor Charles Kemp, Ashley and Commissioners Wayland Lennon and Wade Sealey voted in favor the appointment, while Commissioners J.J. McCree, Charles Townsend and Carol Leak-McKenzie voted against it.

Ammons will be sworn in at the board’s May meeting.

Ashley, who is resigning because she is moving from the town, nominated Ammons at the board’s March meeting. Some of the commissioners objected to the nomination at the time, saying it didn’t allow them time to provide their own nominations. But no other names were provided during the nomination period on Tuesday.

“I can’t speak for anyone else on the board,” Kemp said after the meeting. “I don’t know why another name was not brought forward, or other names. We gave everybody on the board 30 days to come up with additional names.

“I’m very excited about Kim Ammons joining the town board. She’s been an outstanding citizen in our community and has been of service both to senior citizens and in other civic ways, and she will make a fine addition to our town board.”

One resident, Chalmus Hood, told the board that the residents should have a say in who fills the seat.

“It could be a possibility that all the commissioners could resign and new commissioners be selected, and we would have no commissioners who were voted on by the public. That would seem unfair to the public,” he said. “… Just wait until the next possible election, and select a commissioner that way through the public, not through the board members. All commissioners should be elected by the general public.”

Also on Tuesday, the board:

— Approved the application for a $500,000 Community Block Development Grant. The “scattered site” grant would provide rehabilitation, reconstruction and replacement of several homes in Fairmont. Town Manager Linda Vause said the board will know by the end of the May if the town is approved for the grant.

— Approved the application for a $50,000 grant that would provide billboards and signage for the town on Interstate 95. Mayor Charles Kemp requested that the board hire Myra McLees to write the grant. She would be paid with any administrative fees included in the grant if it is won.

— Adopted a resolution authorizing the advertisement of an offer of $525 by Brian Rabon to purchase property at 309 S. Main St.

— Heard from Vause on the former Whitehouse plant, which the new owner would like to reopen. According to Vause, residents complained of odors coming from the plant, which dumped its waste into the town’s sewer treatment plant through the Brown Street lift station.

— Recognized the cheerleaders from Fairmont Middle School and Fairmont High School, who recently took first place in national competitions.

— Approved a proclamation naming the week of April 14-28 Spring Clean Week.