After the resignation of former councilmember Bill McMaster last month, the Goshen Town Council brought a new face on board Thursday night — well, sort of new.

Norma McLeod, who has served as the town clerk and council member for 16 years already, accepted the nomination and was sworn in Thursday.

As a clerk in 1988 and then a council member for several years following, McLeod said she hopes her experience will be valuable to Goshen.

“I’m hoping I can help a little bit with grants,” McLeod said, after she was appointed to take McMaster’s place on the Grant Committee, as well.

Though McLeod never served on the Grant Committee before, some grants she helped write have brought money to the town for the new Town Hall building, road paving and housing rehabilitation.

With this past experience, Mayor Jack Waller said McLeod will be a great asset to the community.

“We had several good applicants, but we needed a grant writer and she had done it before,” Waller said. “We’re glad to have her here.”

Also in its meeting, the council took more steps toward developing a Planning and Zoning Board for the community.

After already appointing residents Mac Barber and Berry Brantley to the board, Waller said four more are needed. From a list of 12 possible candidates, Waller said he hopes at least four will accept the duties.

The council adopted a resolution to put the board in place once the members are chosen, but it was one that had already been written by a previous council. “One of the things most objectionable is (resolution 2008) allows for residents and non-residents to serve on the board,” said Mayor Pro-tem Carter Sanders. “I think only our own residents should tell us how to use our land.”

So the council reverted to the former resolution to only allow town residents to represent their neighbors.

The council also put on hold taking any action on the inherited TDS Building. Waller said whether the town decides to sell the building or not, the council should consider making renovations.

“We stand a better chance after we’ve fixed it up,” Waller said.

The total reparations should cost somewhere around $43,000, $15,000 which has already been paid by the previous council. No decisions or discussion of what type of action to take were made Thursday night.

Also in Thursday’s meeting the council:

tabled discussion of purchasing a generator for the town and discussed the possibility of getting grant funds.

voted to keep sales tax collections under the authority of Alatax.

approved the purchase of a new water meter for Goshen High School.

discussed putting 20-mile per hour speed limit signs in place of former speed bump warning signs, after those speed bumps were removed last year.

discussed naming a specific place as the emergency shelter for severe weather.

signed a proclamation for Goshen High School’s Future Farmers of America.

heard from Salvation Army Director Kim May and agreed to have a camp stew fundraiser .