Kevin Knowles is Martinsburg’s Mayor.
The Martinsburg City Council selected Knowles out of a field of ten Wednesday evening to fulfill the three years remaining on term of the late Mayor Harriet Johnson.
Knowles said he and the late mayor were friends who collaborated on a lot of projects. He said he wants to carry on her vision for the city.
In other council business, the Council approved the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite, which had become a contentious issue in recent months.
Knowles said as a councilman that he was not against the zoning ordinance rewrite but he was against passing until the council had gotten more input from the community, but acknowledged he did not have a vote last night and that it was time to move on.
Knowles, who previously represented the city’s Ward 2, succeeds Harriet Johnson following her July 8 death. Knowles will serve an unexpired term for three years.
Knowles and nine other people submitted letters of interest for the position. The council approved the appointment in a 6-1 vote.
Johnson passed away July 8th at the age of 71. She had only served about a year of her term as mayor.
