MP mayor returns to work

MOUNTAIN PINE — Mayor Rick Petty Sr. rescinded the temporary appointment of an interim mayor last week after a more than

60-day leave of absence for health reasons, he said Monday.

Petty announced his return at a special-called meeting the Mountain Pine City Council convened Thursday night to consider an unrelated matter, ending the interim term Petty appointed Morgan Wiles to in September.

“I’ve recovered from my health issues, and I’m back at 100 percent,” Petty said.

The resolution the council adopted Sept.

28 confirmed Petty’s appointment of Wiles, CEO and co-owner of Morfe Properties, the parent company of window retailer Win-

Choice USA, window provider Morfe Manufacturing and Bath Planet of Arkansas. The company announced in September that it is relocating its manufacturing operation to the 389-acre Mountain Pine site it purchased from Weyerhaeuser in May.

The acquisition included City Hall, which housed Weyerhaeuser offices prior to the timber giant leaving Mountain Pine in 2006.

The resolution appointing Wiles said his term would remain in effect until rescinded, expired or overturned by a two-thirds majority vote of the city council. Petty said he took a 90-day leave of absence, but his speedy convalescence allowed him to reassume office sooner than expected.

He defeated Randy Kuykendall 100-36 during a runoff last November for the special election to serve the remainder of former Mayor Robert Palmer’s second term, which runs through next year. Palmer resigned in July 2016 with more than two years remaining in his term. The council subsequently appointed Petty, an alderman at the time, to serve through 2016.