The city of Montevallo has a new councilmember and has taken steps to redraw voting districts in time for the next municipal election.

Gregory Pendleton, 48,

is the newest member of the Montevallo City Council.

He was unanimously

selected by the City Council at its March 24 meeting to replace District

3 Councilmember Stann M. Garris to represent

Canterbury &160; Estates, Southmont and the downtown area.

Pendleton was nominated by Councilmember Bob Lightfoot with a second from Councilmember Willie Goldsmith and was approved on a 5-0 vote with all active members of the council present.

Garris announced her resignation from the council at its Jan. 27 meeting, effective Jan. 31. She cited as the reason for her departure, additional out of state travel required in connection with her job.

Garris was elected on her first run for public office to the council in 2000 and is employed as a neuroscience sales representative for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical.

Pendleton serves as manager of quality control for the Alabama operations of Chemical Lime and is based at the company’s Montevallo facility.

He has been with Chemical Lime for 23 years, operates four labs and works with technical aspects of the company as well as with research and development.

Pendleton is a lifelong resident of Montevallo, who graduated from the University of Montevallo in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree.

He is married to Karen Pendleton, a licensed social worker with Shelby Emergency Assistance in Montevallo.

They have one daughter, Anna, 16, a junior at Montevallo High School.

&uot;I hope to be able to help out the city and pledge to do everything I can to move the city forward,&uot; Pendleton said.

He

said since his selection to the council he has been working to get up to speed on what is happening with the council to help it have a bright future.

He said he feels he can help the city with his industrial experience.

Pendleton will serve out the remaining nearly 20 months of Garris’ term.

He previously served the city as chairman of the Board of Adjustments.

In her letter of resignation, Garris said, &uot;I will miss the opportunity to work with both the council and the citizens of Montevallo … Please know that I am always available and plan to stay involved as a volunteer as the city of Montevallo grows and reaches its full potential.&uot;

A common thread between Garris and her replacement on the council, Pendleton,

is that both are children of former Montevallo fire chiefs.

Garris is the daughter of Mike Mahan and Pendleton is the son of Bill Pendleton.

Also at its second meeting in March the council agreed to contract with the Planning Commissions of Greater Birmingham

to redistrict the city.

City Clerk Steve Gibbs said the voting districts must be re-drawn in conjunction with expansion in the northern portion of the city.

He said plans call for the work to be completed in December. But he said redistricting will have to be approved by U.S. Justice Department