CONCORD – The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners has appointed Blake Kiger to the vacancy left by former commissioner Grace Mynatt, who resigned on Dec. 19.

The board voted 3-1 at a special meeting this week to appoint Kiger, who is a general contractor and principal with Simon-Meyer, Charlotte, a construction consulting firm.

In 2010, he was elected to the Cabarrus County Board of Education, where he served as vice chair in 2012 and 2013, and chair in 2014.

Kiger has previously served as member of the Cabarrus County Active Living and Parks Commission. He’s also served on the Hickory Ridge High School Athletic Booster Club, Harrisburg Parks and Recreation Master Plan Committee and the Lake Norman Homebuilders Association.

Kiger received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia. He grew up in Savannah and moved in 1998 to Harrisburg, where he lives with his wife, Nancy. He has two grown children, Reagan and Davis.

Kiger was one of 16 individuals who expressed interested in filling Mynatt’s vacancy. Following NC General Statute 153A-27, the Board took requests and consulted with the Executive Committee of the Cabarrus County Republican Party. The Board sent a questionnaire and attempted to make personal contact with each of the individuals who expressed interest. Of the 16 individuals, two asked to have their names removed and two were not registered as Republican, as required by the statute.

At the meeting, the board discussed the process and commented on the difficulties of selecting a name from such a qualified pool of applicants.

Commissioner Lynn Shue made the nomination to appoint Kiger, with a second from Vice Chair Honeycutt. Chairman Steve Morris also voted for Kiger; Commissioner Liz Poole did not. The motion passed and the meeting dismissed.

Kiger will be sworn in before the Board of Commissioners’ work session on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 3:45 p.m. in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Chamber of the Governmental Center.