The executive committee of the Lenoir County Democratic Party has put forth a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners — the remaining commissioners have the final say on who takes George Graham’s seat, though.
“The remaining six commissioners will be the ones to make a selection, after consulting with the Democratic executive committee,” County Attorney Bob Griffin said Friday.
The members of the party’s executive committee met Thursday and nominated Roland Best II, the party’s current first vice chairman, for Graham’s District 5 seat, made vacant by Graham’s election to the N.C. House in November.
Democratic Party Chairman Jimmy Cochran announced Best’s nomination Friday.
“Mr. Best is an outstanding resident of District 5, and is a registered Democrat,” Cochran wrote in a letter to Reuben Davis, chairman of the Board of Commissioners. “He has remained engaged in our county, and would serve the residents of District 5 and the greater county to the best of his ability.”
Best, a Lenoir County native, is currently retired from the N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice, having worked as a counseling tech with youth at the Dobbs Youth Development Center. He also served as a Kinston police officer from 1972 to 1996, and left as captain of operations.
“I was really surprised that the committee thought enough to nominate me,” Best said Friday. “I’m willing to go in and learn all I can.”
If the commissioners approve, Best would serve the remaining two years of Graham’s term, which ends in 2014.
“I’m planning on going in to try to serve the citizens of this county,” he said. “I’m willing to have both ears and eyes open, but I don’t have any particular issues that I’m targeting at this time.”
Graham, who was most recently re-elected in 2010, spent 30 years on the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners.
“Roland is very well known and very well respected, and I think he will do well if he’s given the nod,” Graham said of Best.
Graham spent many of his years on the board as chairman, an office he held when he decided to run earlier this year for the N.C. House seat of Rep. William Wainwright, D-Craven, who passed away in July.
He won the election for District 12, which serves Greene County as well as sections of Lenoir and Craven, and will be sworn in on Jan. 9 in Raleigh. He has officially resigned as county commissioner, effective Monday.
“It’s overwhelming,” he said of the prospect of serving in the General Assembly. “It is overwhelming and there’s a lot of work to be done. I will definitely be busy. I’m hoping I can be a fast start, a quick learner and be able to make some good contributions.”
David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or David.Anderson@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at DavidFreePress.