A Hardwick Clothes blazer made in Cleveland was among the gifts presented Charles “Bones” Seivers, president and CEO of the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund when he was recognized during the 73rd annual Tennessee Municipal League Conference Tuesday in Knoxville. He was recognized for attending 50 consecutive TML conferences. In the photo are Melinda Carroll, assistant city manager; Mayor Tom Rowland; Seivers and his wife, Bettye, Councilman David May, City Manager Janice Casteel and Vice Mayor Avery Johnson. May was elected second vice president of TML during the conference. Both Rowland and Seivers are past presidents of TML and continue to serve on its board of directors.
May will move up to first vice president next year during the annual meeting in Memphis. May has previously served on the board of directors and was unanimously elected by the several hundred attending the conference. He is now in line to become president of the networking organization in two years. At that point, he will become the third Clevelander to serve as TML president following Mayor Tom Rowland and the late Mayor Harry L. Dethero.
Rowland, as a past president, remains on the TML board of directors.
“I look forward to serving in this leadership position. It gives me a stronger voice for the city of Cleveland and allows me to network with my peers from across the state as we work on legislation and other issues facing municipalities in Tennessee,” May said.
Rowland said, “I have observed David over the years and have been impressed with his leadership skills. I believe he is well prepared to take on this position with TML and no doubt his work with people from throughout the state will ultimately enhance his leadership role here in our city.”
This year’s conference included a series of workshops and meetings on various subjects including sessions on retail recruitment for cities, financial management, electricity as a transportation fuel and municipal innovations, to name a few.
May took the oath as third vice president during the closing session Tuesday. He is serving his fourth term on the City Council. He is a 35-year veteran of the Cleveland Fire Department, serving 15 years as fire chief before his retirement. During his tenure as chief, May was a member of the board of the Tennessee Fire Chiefs’ Association.
May followed in the footsteps of his father, the late Capt. Wilsie May, who was a 42-year veteran of the fire department. His son David May III is also a former member of the fire department. He and his son are now partners and own and operate 3D Construction Company.
May and his wife, Linda Miller May, have two children, David and Darlia, and five grandchildren.
One highlight of the 73rd annual event was recognition of Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund President/CEO Charles “Bones” Seivers, who was in attendance at his 50th consecutive annual TML conference. The former mayor and city manager of Clinton is also a former TML president.
During the conference, Seivers was presented a blazer from Hardwick Clothes by Rowland, May and Vice Mayor Avery Johnson. Rowland explained the history of Hardwick to the conference delegates and its significance in the clothing industry throughout the United States.
