The Maggie Valley governing board decided Thursday to interview all the applicants for the alderman post that became available with the August resignation of Phil Aldridge.

The contentious meeting ended with the applicant favored by two of the board members withdrawing his application, a move that changed two hours later after pleas from many to stay in the running.

The special-called meeting was advertised as one where both an alderman replacement and a mayor pro tem would be selected, but that process has been pushed back to Sept. 10.

Mayor Ron DeSimone said there was no pressing issues where a replacement was needed immediately and said he had spoken to Alderman Saralyn Price who was interested, as was he, in interviewing all the candidates.

Both Aldermen Mike Matthews and Philip Wight ...