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At Monday’s meeting of the Norwood Town Council, commissioners approved someone to fill the council member position left vacant by the resignation of Betty Harrison.

Keith Morgan, vice chairman of the town’s zoning board, was appointed by a 4-0 decision.

Morgan finished third in the 2018 general election to Harrison and Larry McMahon. Harrison resigned recently from her spot on the council; the term of her seat was to be completed in November.

Commissioner Robbie Cohen said Morgan was a good pick since he ran in 2018 and “was nearly elected.”

Mayor pro tem James Lilly said he felt the person who finished third in the election should receive that seat if a person above them in the election results was no longer on the board.

“I’m like Robbie. We shouldn’t be going out here and picking people,” Lilly said.

Councilman Wes Hartsell disagreed, saying the person who finished third or lower “could not really be the person you want in (the seat).”

Morgan, a lifelong Norwood resident, said he saw the opening on the council “as an opportunity to get a feel for what all is involved in serving on the board.”

“Now that I have some free time, I see it as an opportunity to pay it back, giving my time to ensure the things that the board does as a group are for the betterment of the town,” Morgan said.

He said he wants to look after Norwood’s citizens “to try to control costs as much as possible when you start talking about property taxes and water rates.”

“I want to do the best I can in what’s right for the citizens of the town, their best interest, especially those on a fixed income.”

Morgan said he was also a big proponent of youth sports, having coached and worked for both Dixie Youth Baseball and Dixie Youth Softball.

He said his experiences of 31 years at Michelin, including managing budgets and people, will help in his new role on the board.

Morgan said he planned to run for the seat in November.