Next Monday, November 16, 2026, the Knox County Commission will appoint a citizen to the Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals to represent the residents of the Commission’s Ninth District.

The candidates who appeared today were:

• Paul Huff – The current Ninth District representative on the Board of Zoning Appeals.
• Nathanael Parsons – Applied for the position in September and received five votes during the previous appointment process.
• William Sofield – The Republican candidate for Knox County School Board in the August 6, 2026, General Election. Sofield lost to Democrat Brandy Jenkins by 384 votes, or 3.92% of the total votes cast.

Mr. Huff previously failed to submit an application before the deadline during the last appointment process. However, he has expressed a continued interest in serving the Ninth District.

Given his experience in the position and his desire to continue serving, appointing Huff would seemingly be the least controversial and most seamless option for the Commission.

Of course, the final decision rests with the Knox County Commission.

We’ll see what commissioners decide when they take up the appointment beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, November 16.