Pepper maestro to spice up ‘great community’ with appointment to Westfir City Council’s final vacancy

By DOUG BATES/Editor/The Herald — Retired businessman and hot-pepper aficionado Kelly Packard has been appointed to serve the remainder of an open seat on the Westfir City Council.

“I’m all for it,” Mayor Melody Cornelius said Monday night in supporting Councilor D’Lynn Williams’ motion to name Packard to the Position 1 council seat, which runs through 2022 and was vacated by Thalia Lerin. The motion passed unanimously.

“We now have a full council again,” Cornelius proclaimed.

Last month, former council member Nicole Davis was appointed to the Position 3 council seat, vacated by Randy Stark.

Packard, 65, who participated in Monday evening’s virtual (Zoom) meeting, described himself as “pretty much retired.” He said he decided to apply for the opening because Westfir “is a great community” and he wants to be more involved in serving it.

“My wife Sue and I have lived in Westfir full time for the last six years and have owned our property for over 20 years,” Packard wrote in his letter of interest to the council. “From the day we purchased the property, we knew that one day we would build up here and make this our permanent residence despite our kids.  The area has so much to offer and is truly a diamond in the rough and we are proud to call this our home.”

Packard is known to many in the community for his keen interest in restoring vintage vehicles, particularly the red Chevrolet pickup that he uses for the logo to his mail-order company Red Truck Peppers. He produces and sells three types of pepper jelly made from habanero and jalapeno peppers, according to the operation’s website.