Monitor Photos/Di Johnson
Tool City Secretary Kimberley Price swears in new Mayor Mike Dumont Nov. 17 during the city council meeting, also swearing in Vera Bennett, for a two-year term as councilwoman, Greg Figueroa as the city’s new mayor pro-tem and Councilman Michael Fladmark for a new term.

TOOL–The Tool City Council installed a new mayor and council members at the Nov. 16 regular meeting, also appointing new leadership on Eight at Tool Park committees.
Former City Councilman Mike Dumont is now officially the city’s mayor, and Michael Fladmark was sworn in for his new term as a councilman after reelection. Local attorney Vera Bennett was also sworn in as a council member.
Each official expressed gratitude for having been chosen by the public for these positions, promising to continue to keep the citizens in mind. With Dumont having been elected mayor, a new mayor pro-tem was needed, and Councilman Greg Figueroa was appointed.
With Dumont having an unexpired term as council member when he was elected mayor, the council will appoint a new citizen to a seat on the council. Applications from those interested in serving can be turned in until Dec. 11. The council will hold a special meeting Dec. 18 to publicly interview candidates, gain feedback from citizens on their preferred choice and appoint a new council member for the remainder of Dumont’s term which will expire in Nov. 2024.
Warm thanks were given to outgoing Councilman John Brasfield and to former Mayor Tommy Lawhon, who was unable to be present at the meeting.
City Administrator Julius Kizzee also issued an award for Council Member of the Year to Figueroa, citing numerous staff recommendations and his own anecdotes about how impactful Figueroa has been on staff and the community.
Council members also appointed Kathy Donoghue as Chairman of the Eight at Tool Beautification Committee, and David Moses was appointed Chairman of the Eight at Tool Events Committee. Tool Police Chief Robert Walker was designated as the city’s emergency management coordinator.
Meeting attendees also witnessed a moment of sincere kindness at the Nov. 16 meeting. During a public hearing for the condemnation of three properties in the city. The properties were listed as long abandoned, each having fallen into disrepair with large amounts of back property taxes owed and an unreachable owner.
During the hearing, a man named John Fain stated that he was present in the interest of saving his property at 1104 Bora Bora in the Paradise Bay subdivision from this fate. Fain approached the council and told them that he hadn’t received notices of this in the last few years because he’d spent three years incarcerated and that his health had led to frequent stays in the hospital since his release.
He went on to say that he is trying to have his disability payments reinstated so that he has the money to fix up the property valued at around $77,000 and sell it to pay the taxes owed. Council members agreed to work with Fain, stating that if he can prove that he is consistently working to improve the property, the council will work with him on the timeline. However, initially, Fain has 90 days to make improvements with communications due to the code enforcement officer on a biweekly basis.
Paradise Bay POA President Daniel Sayre offered to lend his brushhog to Fain and help him clear the land so that Fain can make progress on the lot more quickly. Dumont suggested that the city’s maintenance department could possibly remove a tree lying down across the yard of the home, as well.
Before Fain returned to his seat, several other community members offered their services to help Fain keep his property, showing the true meaning of community.