LUMBERTON — Monday’s meeting of the Robeson County Board of Commissioners will be preceded by swearing-in ceremonies for its newly-elected and re-elected members.
Taking the oath will be board novice Faline Locklear Dial, who won the District 4 seat. Incumbent Noah Woods did not seek re-election. Also being sworn in are re-elected Commissioners David Edge, District 6, and Lance Herndon, District 8.
The District 2 seat, held by the late Berlester Campbell, will remain unoccupied until the state Democratic Party rules on allegations of irregularities in the process whereby his widow, Pauline Campbell, was selected to receive all the votes Berlester Campbell received during the Nov. 6 general election, in which he was unopposed. The party hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Dial, who will become only the second woman to sit on the Board of Commissioners, plans to have her swearing-in ceremony at her home.
“I’m looking forward to being official,” she said. “My swearing in is going to be at my home at 2 p.m. I know it’s a little bit different, but I desired to have one that’s a little bit more personal, in my district and in my community.”
She said family and friends will be in attendance and then it’s on to being a commissioner.
Edge and Herndon are to take the oath of office before the Board of Commissioners meeting convenes at 6 p.m. in the county administration building located at 701 N. Elm St. in Lumberton. Afterward there is to be a reception for commissioners and people attending the ceremony. The board will then reconvene and commissioners then will elect the board’s chairman and vice chairman.
Two public hearings are on Monday’s agenda.
One is a request to rezone 111.9 acres of land in the Back Swamp Township Heavy Industrial to a Residential Agricultural.
The second is a request that 4.97 acres of land in Pembroke be rezoned from a Residential Agriculture to Residential to allow for apartments to be built on the land.
Presentations by Brenda Hunt, of Borderbelt AIDS Resource Team; Adrian Lowery, a consultant with Essential Single-Family Rehab; a representative from the Robeson County Board of Elections; and Erra Locklear, of Lilies of Hope.
The commissioners also are scheduled to consider appointments to the Board of Health, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, and the Legislative Goals Conference.
The board will then convene as the Housing Authority and discuss insurance issues and supplemental pay for employees.
