The Savannah City Council voted 5-4 Thursday to appoint Alderman Carol Bell as mayor pro tem of the elected body. Bell joined Mayor Eddie DeLoach and three new aldermen – Bill Durrence, Brian Foster and Julian Miller – in supporting her appointment, while Aldermen Van Johnson, Estella Shabazz, John Hall and Tony Thomas opposed the motion. As a result, Bell will be charged with leading meetings when DeLoach is absent in addition to speaking on his behalf on occasion at community events and ceremonies. Johnson was the previous mayor pro tem and former Mayor Edna Jackson had been mayor pro tem for two terms while serving as alderman at-large before claiming the elected body’s top seat in 2012. The council also approved a retirement agreement with City Manager Stephanie Cutter.