Board appointees cause for concern
Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 5, 2006
JACKSON – The normally mundane task of appointing board members brought concern here Tuesday morning.
During the first meeting of the Northampton County Commissioners in 2006, Clerk to the Board Kay Flythe brought a trio of appointments to local boards.
During the presentation of the third appointment – which was for four seats on the Upper Coastal Plain Join Nursing and Adult Care Home – Flythe presented four names. Two of those were for reappointment and two were new members.
Commissioners asked where the two new names came to the Board and Flythe said one was presented by the Upper Coastal Plain board and the other was from a list kept in the County Manager’s office of those who were willing to serve.
Hazel Hobbs of Jackson had submitted a letter indicating her willingness to serve on any Board or Commission she was appointed to, Flythe indicated. The Clerk said she had contacted Hobbs, who had agreed to serve if so appointed by the Commissioners.
&uot;What kind of list do we have right now? Is it a long list or a short one,&uot; asked Commission Vice Chairman Robert V. Carter (D-4th).
Flythe said there were only a few names on file with the County Manager’s office of those who would be willing to serve.
&uot;It makes it difficult for us to fill positions if we don’t have people who are willing to serve,&uot; Carter said. &uot;We need to get a larger list if we are to continue to make appointments.&uot;
The discussion occurred for the second time in recent months.
Commissioner James C. Boone (D-3rd), who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, had asked that the Board not keep reappointing the same people, but allow others to serve. It was a sentiment shared by Carter and other Board members.
Carter said Tuesday he would like to see a variety of people show interest in the myriad of boards and commissions for which the county commissioners had appointments. He asked that there be a concerted effort to make the list larger and to include as many people as possible.
After that discussion, the Board voted to approve the reappointment of Lillie Greenwood and Autrey B. Jenkins to the Joint Nursing Board and also approved the appointment of Hobbs and Johnny Reynolds to the same entity.
The commissioners also handled appointments to a pair of other boards during the meeting, choosing Pat Maddrey to serve on the Northampton County Library Board and reappointing Judge Alfred W. Kwasikpui and Sue Gay to the Choanoke Area Development Association board.
Wednesday morning, Assistant Clerk to the Board Kimberly Turner said anyone interested in serving on a county-appointed board of commission could simply send a letter to the County Manager’s office.
Included should be the person’s name, address and telephone number along with which board or commission they would like to serve. If a person would serve on any board, that should be indicated.
Letters should be sent to: County Manager’s Office, P.O. Box 808, Jackson, NC 27845.