LAURINBURG — The Scotland County Board of Public Health has narrowed its search for a new health director to one candidate.

The full board of health interviewed the top applicant for that position in closed session during a special meeting on Tuesday night.

Of the six candidates to apply for the health director’s job, five were deemed qualified, according to Davis. Of those five, three were interviewed by the board’s search committee, which consists of Davis, interim health director Wayne Raynor, physician Kelvin Raybon, public member William Matthews, optometrist Bill Stroud and public member Cordella Walker.

The new director will replace David Jenkins, who after 18 months in Scotland County left in February to head the health department in Carteret County.

Pending approval by the full board of a formal job offer and the acceptance of the position by the candidate, who Davis would not name, the board could announce the county’s new health director as early as next week.

Raynor, who has served as interim director since Jenkins’ departure and was also interim director between 2011 and Jenkins’ hire in 2013, has committed to remain at the department’s helm through September if needed.

Mary Katherine Murphy can be reached at 910-506-3169.