By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost
John E. Brindle, a former deputy sheriff, will become Rowan County Register of Deeds on Dec. 1.
He will succeed Bobbie Earnhardt, who is retiring effective Dec. 1. She has served as Register of Deeds since 1992 and was re-elected to a fourth term in 2006.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the appointment of Brindle Monday night after a few good-natured questions from Chairman Arnold Chamberlain.
“Do you want the job?” Chamberlain asked.
Brindle, the nominee of the Democratic Executive Committee, quickly came to the microphone to assure commissioners he does want the job.
Chamberlain noted that he hated that Earnhardt had decided to retire.
Commissioner Jim Sides made the motion to appoint Brindle and to set his salary as Register of Deeds at the minimum, $56,070.
Brindle, a resident of the Rockwell area, has worked in the Register of Deeds office since June 2004. His current salary is $34,968.
Vice Chairman Chad Mitchell compared the board’s action to the recent uproar with the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners’ split and legal battle over appointing a Democratic nominee to fill an unexpired term.
“It appears that we can do better than the Mecklenburg Board of Commissioners,” Mitchell said.
The Rowan board has four Republicans and one Democrat, but all voted for the nominee of the Democratic Executive Committee.
The Register of Deeds office hosted a reception for Earnhardt Monday afternoon.
In another business matter, the board voted to borrow $5.1 million from RBC Bank for 10 years at an interest rate of 3.54 percent.
The money will be used to create a consolidated Social Services department at the Health Services building on Faith Road. The project involves renovating 18,500 square feet of existing space and adding 27,000 square feet.
RBC was the low bidder.
Chamberlain questioned Finance Director Leslie Heidrick on the lack of response from several local banks ó Community Bank of Rowan, F&M Bank and First Bank.
Heidrick said the lack of response isn’t unusual.
Several other banks responded but declined to bid. Those included Bank of America, Citizens South Bank, CommunityOne Bank and Wachovia Bank.
Carl Ford, vice chairman of the Social Services board, spoke up for the project, telling commissioners now is the time to build and get all DSS employees under one roof.
Heidrick said the interest rate is comparable to the 3.94 percent rate the county got on a loan to build Shive Elementary School near Rockwell.