The new Sampson County Board of Commissioners organized Monday night, electing Allen McLamb, Dist 1, Chairman, and Eric Pope, Dist. 2., as vice chairman. Pictured, from left, are Houston ‘Chip’ Crumpler III, Dist. 3; Pope; McLamb; Thaddeus Godwin, Dist. 5., and Lethia Lee, Dist. 4.
Newcomer Eric Pope, just appointed as Sampson County Board of Commissioners vice chairman, shakes hands with interim County Manager Nancy Dillman, as they congratulate each other on their new appointments.
From left, Eric Pope, Dist. 2, and Allen McLamb, Dist. 1, were appointed as vice chairman and chairman, respectively during Monday night’s Sampson County Board of Commissioners’ meeting.
In what one could only call a swift partisan vote, the newly formed Sampson County Board of Commissioners elected a new chairman and vice chairman in the first two minutes of the meeting.
And, after a lengthy closed door session, the newly formed board unanimously extended interim county manager Nancy Dillman’s time in that role from two days until a permanent replacement could be found.
Voting, however, was not unanimous for the chairman and vice chairman, roles taken up as soon as Thaddeus Godwin, serving as acting chair, opened the meeting Monday night.
Commissioner Allen McLamb was elected chairman and freshman Commissioner Eric Pope, in his very first night as a county commissioner, got the nod to serve as vice chairman. The vote was decided by a 3-2 margin, straight down party lines, with veteran Democrat commissioners Lethia Lee and Thaddeus Godwin casting the dissenting votes.
McLamb was nominated by Pope, and received votes from all three Republicans, including McLamb, himself. Pope was nominated by freshman Commissioner Houston “Chip” Crumpler III, and subsequently voted on by all three Republicans, with Pope also voting for himself.
Godwin, well into his second term, was nominated for the chairman’s position by Lee, and, in turn, Lee, just elected for her second term, was nominated for vice chair by Godwin. They each received two votes.
Despite the roles, the chairman and vice chairman, like the other commissioners, only constitute one vote each.
After the vote and the close of a public comment section on the agenda, McLamb addressed the public, explaining that after less than 20 minutes it was time to make a motion to go into closed session, stating, “I know this seems like an awful quick meeting, but there’s a lot going on in Sampson County, so now I’ll take a motion to go into closed session. Pope second the motion. The discussion, which shuts the door to the public, pertained to legal and personnel matters.
One hour and seven minutes later, they returned to open session and took up the interim county manager position, which Dillman had been given for two days.
Godwin made the motion to allow Dillman to continue in her role until a more permanent county manager could be hired, with Lee offering the second. This time, all five commissioners agreed, raising hands to approve the extended appointment.
“We are actively pursuing someone to do this full time,” explained Dillman. “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with the new board, and we have a lot of work to do, so we are trying to move forward and get people in place before the next budget season.”
“I hope the process goes smoothly,” added McLamb, after the meeting adjourned. “That’s all we’re looking for right now.”
Godwin also expressed his encouragement, stating, “I hope things work out; I think things will go well, and we get someone soon to fill that spot (as county manager).”