Monitor Photo/Carla Gray
After being sworn in Oct. 20 to fill a vacant seat representing the west side of the city on the Gun Barrel City Council, Brian Henson (fourth from left) joins Council Member Place 5 Robert Edwards (from left), Mayor Brian Crull, Council Member Place 1 April Burns, Council Member Place 3 Jennifer Jacobs and Council Member Place 2 Rita Evans.

GUN BARREL CITY‑Gun Barrel City Council held a special meeting Oct. 20 to conduct interviews for a vacated city council seat representing Place 4, which serves the west side of the city. Each candidate had a time to speak on their behalf and why they feel they would be the best person for the job.
Candidates were called by the order of applications received. The first interviewee was Brian Henson. Henson mentioned that he has lived in the area for five years. He is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the National RV Training Academy in the Big Red Barn on U.S. Highway 175. Henson said, “I want to make an impact here. I look around and I see that if I can give you suggestions or help anybody in any way, that is really what I want to do.”
The next candidate was Lisa Matthews. Matthews previously served on the Planning and Zoning Commission, currently serves on the Gun Barrel City Economic Development Corporation board and is employed as a mortgage loan underwriter. Matthews stated why she wants to serve on the council: “I really like the area and enjoy helping people, especially helping young people who are planning on buying a home.”
The final candidate was Ava Tower, who said she has lived in the community for over 16 years. A retired educator who now serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Towers said, “We love this area and I look forward to serving with you and helping make positive advances that have been made in the past several years. I think it is very important to concentrate on the future and not necessarily on the past. We can learn from our past but our future is what’s important.” 
After the interviews, the council considered and took action on the placement of city council Place 4 west seat. City Council Member April Burns said, “I would like to make the motion. I would like to say that I did speak to all three candidates and all three would make great council members, unfortunately we can only choose one. So, my nomination today for city council place four west is for Brian Henson.”  Council Member Jennifer Jacobs seconded the motion. When the vote was put before the council there was a unanimous “yes.”
With all votes counted Brian Henson will take the seat of Place 4 west on the Gun Barrel City council immediately.