Bernard Buckhalter was re-appointed to the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau on Tuesday by a 4-2 vote of the city council. Buckhalter is the manager of a Wendy’s chain restaurant in Starkville. Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem made the motion to re-appoint Buckhalter to a one-year term. Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin voted against the motion. Buckhalter and Columbus restaurant owner Glenn Baldwin were the only applicants for the position.
“It’s my understanding Mr. Buckhalter works in Starkville,” Gavin said. “Glenn Baldwin owns the Cattleman’s Steak and Fish Restaurant in Columbus. He puts money back into the community through his business. I felt he was the better choice.”
Buckhalter has been the center of contention recently between some CVB board members, whom he accused of being racist in February. He has also had clashes with the CVB’s executive director, Nancy Carpenter, over festival funding, among other issues.
Carpenter said the CVB board is composed of nine members, four of whom are appointed by the city, four of whom are appointed by the county and one joint-appointment.
Buckhalter, Whirllie Byrd, Nadia Dale and Dewitt Hicks are appointed by the city. Board president George Swales, Mark Castleberry, Bart Wise and Rissa Lawrence are appointed by the county. Harvey Myrick is the joint appointee.
“Bernard Buckhalter’s appointment is the restaurant appointment,” Carpenter said. “The guidelines for this were drawn up by the state legislature when the CVB was formed.”
Under section 1, the city’s appointees are described as follows: “One restaurant member for an initial term of one year. This member and the successors shall be appointed by the city council after being selected from the names submitted by any owner or employee of a restaurant. One member who shall be the owner of a home on the Columbus Historic Tour of Homes during Columbus’ Annual Pilgrimage, for an initial term of two years. This member and the successors shall be appointed by the city council after being selected from names submitted by such applicants. Two at-large members appointed by the council for an initial term of three years.”
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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