Rowan County Board of Commissioners leadership to remain unchanged

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 4, 2018

SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners re-elected its leadership Monday following the ceremonial oaths of office for re-elected members.

By acclamation, Greg Edds was once more named board chairman. Jim Greene was elected vice chairmain by acclamation as well.

Both nominations came from fellow Commissioner Judy Klusman, who was re-elected with the highest number of votes in the November election.

Edds took pause to thank his wife, the county staff and his fellow commissioners for their parts in the accomplishments of the previous four years.

“I value every commissioner that’s here,” Edds said. “We are all so different, and we bring such a different view and passions and talents to this board that we’ve been able to get a lot of stuff done.”

Greene spoke similarly, saying he joined the board four years ago as a “skeptic of all big government.”

“I have come to the realization that we have a great group of folks not just in the leadership but even the employees that are so dedicated to this county,” Greene said.

Klusman praised the county staff for all it was able to accomplish with the resources it has, saying that working together is a critical element in prior and continued success.

“I want to thank both the private and public partners that we have in doing this job,” she said. “This is not an easy job, and to make our county a stellar county, it’s going to take all of us together to make that happen.”

In other business from Monday’s agenda:

• The commissioners approved the proposed 2019 schedule of values for property valuation.

The schedule is used by the county tax assessor’s office as workers place value on all properties, land, buildings and improvements in the county. Rates will now be advertised and open for inspection for appeal for four consecutive weeks. Residents can expect notices the second week in February detailing any adjustments in property valuation.

• The board scheduled its annual planning retreat at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 18.

• The commissioners approved a budget amendment that allows for renovations to the courthouse, which came in $167,903 over budget during the bidding process.

• The board made appointments to local boards and commissions.

These included Tina Acree to the Dangerous Dog Appeals Board; Patricia Yost to the Board of Public Health for the registered nurse vacancy; Edgar Abad to the Board of Public Health as a member of the public; Jennifer Hammond to the Home and Community Care Block Grant Advisory Committee; Sheriff Kevin Auten, District Attorney Brandy  Cook and Judge James Randolph to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council; Sylvia Fosha to the Nursing Home Advisory Committee; Ken Upright, Mike Caskey and Adam Sewell to the rescue squad board; Lillian Gascoigne to the Rowan Public Library board; Pam Bloom and Jennifer Sechler Nicholson to two at-large vacancies on the Rowan Public Library board; and Craig Pierce to the Tourism Development Authority.

The board appointed the following to the Volunteer Fire Departments Relief Fund board of trustees across several departments.

• Steve Garver and Ryan Michael Yost in Atwell

• Jason Corriher and Charles Haas in Bostian Heights

• Ronal Herion in Cleveland Community

• Randy Earnhardt and Kenneth Suther in East Gold Hill

• Thurman “Chip” Wells in Ellis Cross Country

• Diane Burney in Enochville

• Jennifer Spry and Carter Thomason in Franklin

• David Linker and James Basinger in Locke Township

• David Oakley and Michael Alligood in Miller Ferry

• Alan Thomas Shinn and Tina Barkley in Pooletown

• Troy Agner and McKenzie Holshouser in Rockwell Rural

• Ryan Thompson and Michael Aistrop in Scotch-Irish

• Gary Gaskey and Michael Goodman in South Salisbury

• Rick Waller and Kevin Kesler in Union

• Lonnie “Eddie” Mills and Phillip Sloop in West Rowan

• Joseph Gregory and Artie Watson in Woodleaf

Commissioners also made the following volunteer fire department commissioner appointments:

• Craig Myers and Claude Rogers Jr. for Cleveland Community

• Grady Thompson for Scotch-Irish

• Larry Graham, Jennifer McDaniel and Danny Ellenburg for West Rowan