Jeff Brittain was unanimously elected Chairman of the Burke County Board of Commissioners in a 5-0 vote during the board’s organizational meeting on the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. He will be serving his second consecutive term.
Phil Smith was elected vice chairman of the commissioners in a 3-2 vote. Newly-elected commissioners Mike Stroud and Brian Barrier voted against Smith. Stroud nominated Barrier before the vote.
Destin C. Hall, with the Lenoir law firm Wilson, Lackey, Rohr & Hall, PC, was appointed as the county’s new attorney, replacing J.R. Simpson. The vote was 3-2 with Barrier and Stroud casting minority votes for Morganton attorney Michelle Lippert.
Stroud was the top vote getter in the November elections, garnering 30.4% (28,793) of the vote. Barrier received 26.6% (25,248) and Brittain won his fourth term with a reelection tally of 28.1% (26,688) of the vote.
Stroud and Barrier defeated outgoing commissioners Scott Mulwee and Johnny Carswell.
After taking the oath of office, Stroud emphasized the importance of transparency and community connection. “Transparency, that’s what we ran on,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to stand by. We’re really going to be open because that’s what we’re really all about, is to let people know what we’re doing and how we can move forward as a community.”
Superior County Judge Daniel A. Kuehnert administered the oaths of office to Brittain, Stroud, and Barrier.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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