Lee
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A replacement for outgoing Sampson County Board of Commissioner vice chairwoman Sue Lee could be recommended in the next two weeks, but who that person might be isn’t known just yet.
That was the word from Sampson Republican Party chairwoman Telia Kivett Monday night in a telephone interview about the replacement process.
Kivett said the soon-to-be vacated seat has to be filled within 30 days, with a recommendation coming from the local Republican Party to the Sampson County Board of Commissioners.
“There’s already a plan in place” she said, explaining that the replacement has to be a Republican from Lee’s district.
The North Carolina GOP Plan of Organization has guidelines for replacement, Kivett noted, saying Sampson County is part of that Plan of Organization.
According to the rules set forth by the state GOP, a committee from Dist. 3 will meet to nominate a replacement, who will serve out the remainder of Lee’s term.
“NCGOP ruling states that executive members of District 3 will make the selection,” explained Kivett. “It (the recommendation) will then be presented to the county commissioners and they shall approve the replacement presented by the Republican Party. This replacement will fulfill the remaining two years of the term.”
Lee announced her resignation at the Nov. 4 commissioners meeting, saying she would step away from the Dist. 3 seat at the end of this month, leaving two years on her unexpired term.
The new Board of Commissioners, which will include newcomer Eric Pope, generally re-organizes the first meeting in December, with the selection of a new chairman and vice chairman. The board will be made up of Alan McLamb, Thaddeus Godwin, Lethia Lee, Pope and whoever receives the appointment. Chairman Jerol Kivett will come off the board, replaced by Pope.
The local GOP chairwoman noted that she could not release the names of those on the Dist. 3 committee, as of yet, and the meeting to discuss and approve the replacement will take place behind closed doors.
A replacement should be announced within about two weeks, and then the newly appointed county commissioner will be sworn in sometime after the replacement is approved by the county commissioners.