The Bristol City Council will choose among three women to fill an open council seat during its Tuesday night meeting.
Six residents applied for the seat, and five turned up at the Feb. 10 meeting, when they were each asked six questions, including why they’re interested in serving. Council members then went into a closed session to discuss the applicants. After about an hour, they emerged and approved three finalists: Alex Littleton, the Rev. Jackie Nophlin and Rebecca Reeves. The other two candidates present were Steven Gobble Jr. and Kimberly Shaffer.
The seat was vacated Jan. 31 by Becky Nave, who said she accepted a new position that has increased travel demands, so she will no longer have the time to continue serving.
Littleton, who grew up in Bristol, graduated from the University of Tennessee with an English degree and has a master’s degree in education from King University. She is the vice president and chief operating officer for Communities and Schools of the Appalachian Highlands.
She also serves on the city’s planning commission and on the board of Bristol Regional Medical Center.
Littleton said service to her community was instilled in her at an early age by her parents and grandparents.
“Beyond that, God gives us skills and abilities, and we’re called to use those in service, and my entire career has been about serving people and serving people in this community. So, being a part of council is just another opportunity to use those skills, the experiences that I have to help support and serve the city,” she said.
Nophlin is the pastor of Household Faith Community Church, a substitute teacher and she owns a wig shop. She said she has served on a number of boards, including the city’s industrial development authority, Faith in Action and Bristol Promise. She is also a member of the Bristol Ministerial Association, of which she was president for four straight years.
“I want to be on this council so that I can help you bring better jobs in here,” Nophlin said. “I can help you advocate and make sure that Bristol stays out of the red. And that is my primary reason — I stand for the people.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, six people urged the council members to choose Nophlin.
Reeves, who has been a city resident for nearly seven years, owns a business, Rebecca Reeves Hair. She also serves on the Bristol Public Library Foundation board.
As a business owner and working parent, Reeves said she would bring a practical, real-world experience to the council.
“So, I think that can be an asset to the council as far as my ability to know how to overcome and see those tasks,” she said. “I have the unique ability to bridge the different groups in our community, from business owners to families to members of our faith community. … And I value thoughtful leadership and fiscal responsibility, leading with integrity and listening before leading and listening to the people on what is best for a long-term Bristol.”
The council is expected to approve its choice for the seat on the five-member board on Tuesday.
The person chosen will serve the remaining nearly three years of Nave’s four-year term. The next election for the seat will be in November 2028.
The council will also be given a presentation by Alta Planning and Design about the feasibility study it conducted on potential routes for extending the Mendota Trail to downtown Bristol. It is being asked to endorse the study, which will be used to help secure funding for the project.
The meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at city hall, 300 Lee St. Here’s the agenda.
