ALBEMARLE — On Monday night, both the Stanly County Board of Commissioners and Albemarle City Council swore in new members while also electing members to leadership positions and committees.
Commissioners-elect Peter Asciutto and Scott Efird were sworn into their new commissioner positions by Judicial District 20A Judge Kevin Bridges.
Following a nomination by Efird, Commissioner Bill Lawhon was unanimously voted into the board chairman position that was previously held by Matthew Swain. Commissioner Tommy Jordan, nominated by Commissioner Lane Furr, will take over for Ashley Morgan as vice-chairman after a 7-0 vote.
“It’s my honor to serve as the commissioner chairman,” Lawhon said. “I will do the best job that I can possibly do, but I promise I will keep all of you informed of what’s going on when I know about it.”
A list of board committee assignments presented by Jordan was approved 7-0 by the commissioners.
Lawhon is assigned as an Economic Development Commission member and Rocky River Rural Planning Organization alternate member, while Commissioner Mike Barbee is assigned to the Economic Development Commission and Senior Services Department board.
Jordan will serve as a member of both the Consolidated Human Services Agency and Stanly Water and Sewer Authority; Efird will serve as a member of the Consolidated Human Services Agency and Airport Authority.
Almond is assigned as a Board of Trustees member and Airport Authority alternate member, while Furr is assigned as a Fire District Commission member and Stanly Water and Sewer Authority alternate member. Lastly, Asciutto will serve as a member of the Rocky River Rural Planning Association and Centralina Council of Governments.
The Albemarle City Council meeting on Monday night began with the swearing-in of Mayor Ronnie Michael and Councilmembers Martha Sue Hall, Dexter Townsend, Bill Aldridge and Benton Dry, in that order.
“I want to say thank you to my family, especially my wife, who allows me to do this, and the opportunity to move forward with our city,” Michael said. “I also want to thank all the citizens who gave me this opportunity again, and I look forward to what we will accomplish over the next four years.”
Hall, who is beginning her fifth term on the Albemarle City Council, was nominated by Townsend and seconded by Councilmember Chris Whitley to retain her mayor pro-tem position, which she was given unanimously by the council.
Albemarle City Manager Michael Ferris will continue his role after a unanimous vote; Ferris was nominated by Townsend and seconded by Councilmember Shirley Lowder. Britt A. Burch, who is wrapping up his year as the city’s first full-time attorney, will unanimously retain his role after nominations by Hall and Townsend.
According to Albemarle’s Code of Ordinances, city official’s appointments can be delegated to the city manager, a method that the council has traditionally used and continued on Monday. Ferris’s approved appointees are finance director Colleen Conroy, assistant finance director Jacob Weavil, city clerk Cindy Stone, deputy city clerk Nyki Hardy and tax collector Richard Lanzillotti.