ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Commissioners met on Monday night for its annual reorganizational meeting where a new chairman and vice chairman were chosen for the 2025 calendar year.
Additionally, incoming Commissioner Billy Mills and returning Commissioner Scott Efird were both sworn in to office, while the board also established new committee assignments for next year.
Replacing a role held this year by Commissioner Bill Lawhon, Mike Barbee — the vice chair for 2024 — was elected as the board’s new chairman, while Commissioner Brandon King was elected as vice chairman.
Lawhon and Barbee each received a nomination for chairman, leading to an individual voting process for each where they voted for themselves.
Barbee came out on top via a 5-2 vote with support from Commissioners Trent Hatley, Patty Crump, and Mills. Lawhon received support from Efird.
“I thank you all for putting your trust in me,” Barbee said following the vote. “I want to commend Commissioner Lawhon on the great job he’s done this last year as chair, and I appreciate his guidance. I intend to work with everybody on the board and make sure to do my best so that everything is done fairly. We look after the citizens. To me, that is the most important thing.”
King and Crump each received a nomination for the vice chairman vote, leading to a 4-3 tally for the position. Mills, Crump, Barbee, and King voted for King; Hatley, Lawhon, and Efird voted for Crump.
For board and committee assignments, Lawhon was named to the Economic Development Commission and Centralina Council of Government (alternate), while Barbee was added to the Stanly Water and Sewer Authority, Centralina Council of Government, and Stanly Water and Sewer Authority (alternate).
Efird was assigned to the Library Board, Partners Behavioral Health Management Board, and Rural Planning Organization Board (alternate). Mills was named to the Senior Services Board and Rural Planning Organization Board.
Crump joined the Consolidated Human Services Board and Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, while Hatley joined the Airport Authority, Fire District Commission, and Stanly Water and Sewer Authority.
Lastly, King was added to the Economic Development Commission, Consolidated Human Services Board, and the Airport Authority.
These board and committee assignments received unanimous support from the commissioners.
Later in the meeting, the board provided its own feedback on the new chair positions and the addition of Mills as the newcomer to the board.
“The biggest thing that is on my mind right now is we need your prayers because there’s no way we can know all the answers,” Mills said. “Just pray that God will give us discernment and wisdom for the challenges. If you supported us in the elections, please support us now. I look at my two grandsons, and even though I can see the end of the road, whenever I leave this earth, I want them to have something — at least morals and values.”
The Stanly County Board of Commissioners is set to hold its next regular meeting on Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.