By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost
County commissioners will go through a transition Monday afternoon as newly-elected members Carl Ford and Raymond Coltrain join the board.
The current board headed by Chairman Arnold Chamberlain will meet briefly at 4 p.m. Monday, then adjourn.
Jeff Barger, Clerk of Court, will give the oath of office to Ford and Coltrain.
Ford, owner of radio stations in Kannapolis and China Grove, was the high votegetter in the recent election. A Republican, Ford is a friend and ally of Jim Sides, who will be leaving the board.
Coltrain will become the second Democrat on the board, joining Tina Hall. It’s the first time that has happened in nearly two decades.
Coltrain of Salisbury is the retired superintendent of the Piedmont Research Station.
The board, including holdovers Chad Mitchell, John Barber, Hall, Ford and Coltrain, will convene and elect a new chairman and vice chairman.
The board will then recognize Chamberlain and Sides for their work during the past four years.
A reception for the new and outgoing members will be held during a recess.
Much of the business scheduled is organizational in nature as the newly constituted board prepares to move forward.
One item of good news will be the presentation of the audit by Sam Leder of Potter & Company.
Leder is expected to report the county’s finances are in good shape.
Commissioners will:
– Approve a contract for the Department of Social Services addition and renovation.
Architect Bill Burgin of Ramsay Burgin Smith Architects of Salisbury is recommending approval of the low bidder R.L. Casey of Greensboro which submitted a price of $4.1 million.
The project involves renovating and adding space to the mental health section of the Health Services Building on Faith Road. When complete, all Social Services programs will be housed in one building.
– Approve bonds for key county officials as required by the General Statutes. The positions include sheriff, register of deeds, tax collector and finance director;
– Select a voting delegate to the N.C. Association of County Commissioners Legislative Goals Conference Jan. 15-16 in Raleigh.
– Consider selecting a date and place for the annual board retreat, which is typically in late February. Commissioners will also be asked to select a facilitator for the session, which normally runs three days.
– Discuss meeting schedule for 2009. Commissioners have previously discussed making one of the monthly meetings a discussion session and one an action session.
– Discuss liaison appointments ó which commissioners will serve as a representative on various boards and commissions.
– Consider appointments to several board including: Board of Health, Planning Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Library Board of Trustees.
The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meets in the Cohen Administrative Offices Building, 130 W. Innes St.