Just two weeks after losing his bid for re-election by a razor-thin margin, Nick Miles returns to Smyrna Town Council.
Miles was appointed unanimously by the members of the town council, including Joseph Reames, who beat him by just three votes in the April 28 election. Miles will fill the remaining year of Councilman Dean Johnson’s term. Johnson resigned his seat last week.
At a meeting last week, Mayor Tabitha Gott emphasized that the decision to appoint Miles to the commission was in keeping with recent precedent and fiscal responsibility.
“Last election, we had a gentleman that resigned. And as a result of that, we had a vacancy to fill,” she explained. “Instead of having the town pay for another election, this is in the best interest of the town.”
That resignation, in March 2025, was then-Councilman Bill Pressley. His replacement, appointed unanimously by the remaining council members was Nick Miles, who had come just six votes short of a win in the previous election. Miles has never been elevated to the council through election.
Council members also heard about an ongoing crackdown on businesses operating without a license. Town Manager Torrie James explained that in recent weeks, officials have learned that many businesses are operating without a license.
“We failed kind of somewhat in our office, and what we've missed is a lot of business licenses. So the town does require that you have a business license to operate within the town of Smyrna, and probably about 50% of our businesses do not have that,” he said.
James explained that the town is cracking down on unlicensed businesses, and residents may notice more closed doors until those businesses get into compliance.
Business licenses are a source of revenue for the town, costing business owners anywhere from $125 to more than $1,000, depending on the type and size of business. Business licenses are projected to bring in some $95,000 in the current year’s budget.
