With a short agenda and very little debate in this week’s Lenoir County Commissioner meeting, the focus shifted toward two individuals who have given a combined 51 years of dedicated service to the area.
Barbara Perry and Randy Moore were honored in front of the board, highlighting a meeting with unanimous voting on each proposal.
“Today was one of those days where we didn’t have an awful lot on the agenda,” Lenoir County Commissioner Chairman Reuben Davis said. “Of course, we needed to honor those who retired, so that was important.”
Perry was employed by the Lenoir County Board of Elections in 1992, serving for 21 years as a deputy director.
Moore spent 30 years in law enforcement; starting his career with the Kinston Police Department in 1983 before beginning work with the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office 13 years later.
The county commissioners had high praise for both.
“It’s always good to me when you honor employees for their service,” Commissioner Linda Rouse Sutton said. “It’s nice to get encouraging news from the county.”
There was also a resolution expressing gratitude and appreciation to the U.S. Armed Forces. Commissioner J. Mac Daughety introduced the proposal, acknowledging the importance of North Carolina’s vested economic interest in the preservation and enhancement of land uses compatible with military activities. The military is the second largest sector of the state’s economy, contributing $23.4 billion and 416,000 jobs.
Most of the proposals in the meeting were budget ordinance amendments to the general fund, which were quickly approved.
There was a resolution authorizing Lenoir County to enter into a contract and agreement with Walter and Sylvia Poole to trade 4.53 acres of county property in the Highway 70 Industrial Park for the Poole’s property, but the proposal was stricken from the meeting for another date.
Overall, the meeting lasted about 45 minutes, not including a closed session by the board.
“It was a very good and short meeting,” Vice-Chairperson Jackie Brown said. “We were able to accomplish quite a few things.”
Brown gave a brief synopsis of her attendance at the N.C. Association of County Commissioners conference from Aug. 22-25 in Greensboro. She said it was a good conference, but was upset about what she said was the misrepresentation of Lenoir County in the third district.
There are nine counties in the third district: Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne.
“Lenoir County hasn’t had a district director since 1999,” Brown said. “I questioned the executive director about that, because Wayne County received a district director when it should’ve been Lenoir’s time.”
Although the next NCACC conference isn’t until 2015, Brown is trying to have a district director in Lenoir County before then.
“I won’t let it slide because it is our time,” Brown said.
The next county commissioner meeting will be Monday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m.
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.