PENDER COUNTY — Beth Burns was sworn in as a county commissioner to fill the vacant District 1 seat — nearly seven weeks after being recommended by the Pender County Republican Party.
Monday, commissioners Jimmy Tate, Jerry Groves and Chair Randy Burton unanimously agreed to seat Burns. Vice Chair Brent Springer was late to the meeting and not in attendance as the first agenda item action was voted on.
There was little discussion from commissioners other than a motion put forward by Burton and seconded by Tate. However, Burns’ journey to the dais has been wrought with roadblocks as three separate challenges were submitted to the State GOP, questioning the validity of the Pender County Republican Executive Committee vote on who would fill the vacancy, after Brad George resigned in August.
READ MORE: No quorum: Pender commissioners’ absence delays Beth Burns’ appointment again, despite state ruling
ALSO: ‘Only Republicans can stop Republicans’: 3 appeals filed in Pender commissioner appointment
Burns and Republican District 1 candidate Shane Frey both threw their hats into the ring for the position. Burns beat Frey by one vote, resulting in queries to the state over fairness of votes and who was allowed to vote.
While the inquiries were pending, Springer tabled her appointment at the Sept. 8 meeting, stating the need to wait for challenges to be squared. The same day the state GOP ruled Burns’ appointment stood, the board of commissioners failed to form a quorum for its meeting — meaning Burns’ swearing in was, once again, delayed.
Tate and Springer were in attendance, though Burton cited a scheduling conflict while Groves said he feared for his safety due to security threats received online and elsewhere.
Prior to Monday evening, District 1 had not had representation since George stepped down two months ago, something community members brought up during public comment.
Constituent Susan Crew told commissioners they owe the county an apology for the lack of a quorum during its Sept. 21 meeting.
“A scheduling conflict and a safety concern may be real,” Crew said. “What is also real is the political fight under all of this. My district has not had a commissioner until August 1 — thankfully we have one now — but this board could not get enough members in the room to do ordinary county business. Playing politics does not help the citizens or the staff.”
While citizens brought forward frustrations over commissioners previous actions, Burns was focused on moving forward.
“Let’s get to work,” she told the audience Monday as she made her way to the dais.
One of her first acts as commissioner was to offer solutions with a purchase order increase of $1.3 million for the full-design for a fleet garage. The garage would hold buses for county schools, as well as county firetrucks and police vehicles. A full price estimate on the garage build-out would not be available until the 30% design mark is hit and construction conversations would begin next summer.
The approval of the full design was tabled in September as Springer requested a joint meeting with the school board. While the garage was back on the agenda Monday, a joint meeting was yet to be held. County manager Colby Sawyer said they had been in contact with Superintendent Brad Breedlove but have been unable to find a date that works for all parties.
Burns — who was an active member of the school board prior to being sworn in — asked if the county could be put on the school board’s agenda to give a presentation on the fleet garage and what it entails.
“The board of education did not have an agenda item for it and I think that would be really important,” Burns said. “I’m not shirking a meeting, actually I think it’s very much needed, but I do believe that there needs to be input from all users who would be benefiting from this garage.”
The item was tabled as the county continues to work toward conversations with the schools.
Burns will remain on the board until December when districts 1, 2 and 3 will be seated after winning the midterm elections.
As for the vacancy left on the school board by Burns, the Pender GOP will schedule an executive committee meeting for a recommendation of who will fill the spot. That seat is also up for election this year in November; Jason Jordan, a Republican, presumptively has won as he does not have a challenger in the midterms.
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