Double Down

Marvin Hilton has 13 years of experience as Cable Administrator and city staff support for the Fayetteville Telecommunications Board. He has experience managing the Government Channel, monitoring the public access contract and handling cable franchise matters. He has 20 years of program production experience for access television. He has a degree in communications from the University of Kansas.

As a city resident and registered voter with "appropriate expertise," Mr. Hilton met the basic qualifications for volunteer public service, and he was the only applicant for the vacant position on the Telecommunication Board, one of Fayetteville's citizens' advisory boards that "consist of mostly volunteer citizens who are devoted to giving their time and expertise on issues relating to each board, committee, or commission."

The Fayetteville City Council Nominating Committee includes Kyle Cook, Adella Gray, Robert Rhoads, and Shirley Lucas. They did not support Hilton's application to serve on the volunteer board and will not recommend his appointment to Mayor Coody and City Council. Alderman Adella Gray said, "We just didn’t feel like it was a good fit."

Mayor Coody fired Mr. Hilton from his staff position last month, never explaining why, but the last thing he wants is a whistleblower who might know something about who has been responsible for the political programming and other decisions regarding the Government Channel. It just wouldn't be a good fit.