Roanoke County Supervisor-elect Charlotte Moore says she has nothing against Planning Commissioner Rodney McNeil, but she thinks the board of supervisors showed her a lack of courtesy and respect by reappointing McNeil this week without consulting her.

Moore, a Democrat, narrowly defeated McNeil, a Republican, in November's board of supervisors election to represent the county's Cave Spring District. She won't take her seat until January.

While McNeil may be qualified and "a very respectable man ... I feel that the people elected me, that they want a change and I want to do my best to give them what they asked for," Moore said Wednesday.

Although she declined to name any candidates she would have considered for nomination, "I know several good people who don't have tunnel vision, who have good insight ... and who I think would be a real asset to the planning commission."

McNeil's term was set to expire on Dec. 31. He was nominated for reappointment by retiring Cave Spring Supervisor Mike Wray, who first appointed McNeil four years ago when his predecessor left that choice up to him.

It's the type of appointment so routine that it's usually relegated to the "consent agenda," a list of items that board members designate as not needing discussion before being approved as a bloc with a single vote.

Tuesday, however, board Chairman Joe McNamara attempted to move McNeil's name off the consent agenda. He inadvertently requested the separation of another appointee, however, by calling for a vote on the wrong agenda item number.

"I just removed the wrong one," McNamara, a Republican, said Wednesday. In the meantime, the consent agenda passed unanimously, including McNeil's appointment.

"I tried to vote against" the nomination, McNamara said, "even though I knew it was going to pass anyway. I personally think she [Moore] should have had an opportunity to make the appointment."

Wray insisted that his nomination of McNeil was "not political or personal," but a matter of "considering the planning commission as a whole."

The commission had an unexpected vacancy last month when Windsor Hills representative Al Thomason died Nov. 4. His replacement, David Radford, was nominated by McNamara and appointed Nov. 13.

"I thought the experience Rodney brings to the table benefits everyone," Wray said.

Vinton District Supervisor Mike Altizer, also a Republican, likewise cited experience as his primary consideration in supporting McNeil's reappointment.

The county will be facing numerous, difficult planning decisions in the coming years, Altizer said, and the commission is "a very important body that we really look to for guidance. Experience is invaluable."

Having a second newcomer now would have meant 40 percent of the commissioners would start the year without experience, he said. "I know in my heart I voted right for the citizens of Roanoke County."

Board Vice Chairman Richard Flora, a Republican who represents the Hollins District, noted that political considerations are "just the way the process works."

"I don't think there was anything wrong with what we've done."

Political courtesy, he said, generally extends to sitting board members who are usually granted the necessary board approval for nominees to positions assigned by magisterial district.

"That's just politics, I guess," Flora said.

Catawba District Supervisor Butch Church, a political independent, agreed.

"It's simply part of the political process," he said. On top of which, "when he [Thomason] died, it left a hole in that commission. Quite frankly, I'm glad McNeil was available."

McNeil said he didn't know anything about the board's process of seeking a nominee. "The only thing I knew prior to the meeting was I had been asked if I was reappointed would I serve. As far as I was concerned, if they felt I did good job, I wanted to be of service."

He said he would not have a problem working with Moore. "I spent a lot of years in the military and I had a lot of commanders I didn't see eye to eye with, but I did the job for them."

Moore said Wednesday she was sure she would be able to work with McNeil.

The board theoretically could reconsider the appointment at its next meeting.