When Alderwoman Billie Clevenger recommended former mayor Roxanne Hinton for appointment to the recreation board, Alderwoman Vivian Wiley and Alderman Jim Lindemann began what proved to be a night of arguments.

Mayor Raymond Kinney was naming off appointments for vacancies on the board and did not have one for the recreation board; that is when Clevenger nominated Hinton.

"She has shown interest in the board and she has learned everything for the board," said Clevenger, who is an active member on the board. "She works well with everyone on the board."

Clevenger continued that it is very hard to find volunteers for the board, which has to do with the rigorous tasks of finding umpires, going through about five hours of training in Knob Noster and much more.

"It is not an easy job," Clevenger said.

Mayor Kinney asked Hinton, who was present at the meeting, if she would be interested in volunteering for the position. Hinton said she would.

Kinney said he would like to accept Hinton to the Recreation Board. Clevenger made the motion.

When no one seconded the motion, Clevenger said she hated to see any volunteer not accepted. Alderman Lewis Bybee then seconded the motion to appoint Hinton to the board.

When a role call vote was taken, Clevenger and Bybee voted for the appointment; Wiley and Lindemann voted against it.

Mayor Kinney said he would vote "yes" to appoint Hinton to the board, but City Clerk Ronda Nienhueser told the mayor he was unable to break the tie on the appointment so the motion failed.

"You will have no Recreation Board after this," Clevenger said. "The tasks will fall on the council."

Amanda Schlatweiler, board president, said there are two names on the list of board members she has never seen at a meeting yet. Those individuals' terms don't expire until May 2009.

"I have only known Roxanne, who is interested in learning everything," Clevenger said. "You're passing up free help!"

Clevenger stressed that the board requires a lot of work and when people don't show up it puts everything on about three individuals.

"We will probably not have baseball next summer," Clevenger said. "Without (the recreation board), things are going to come to a screeching halt."

Clevenger asked the aldermen why they are passing up free help and received no replies.

In other appointments, Eric Rader was appointed to replace Lee Nienhueser, Darren Meador was reappointed and Albert Hartman was appointed to the Park Board on the recommendation of Mayor Kinney.

Kinney said he has some names for the two open positions on the Planning and Zoning Board, but would not make them public until he discusses it with the prospective candidates.

The next aldermen meeting will be Monday, July 14, at 7 p.m.

Contact Rachel Harper at marshallcity@socket.net