Resigning mayor-elect nominates replacement in his commissioner seat
FAIRMONT — In a special-called meeting Tuesday that lasted less than 10 minutes, a sitting commissioner both resigned and nominated someone to fill his seat when he becomes mayor in December.
Fairmont Commissioner and Mayor-Elect Charles Kemp tendered his resignation effective Dec. 21 when he will be sworn in as mayor. He then nominated the appointment of Jan Tedder-Rogers to replace him on the same day he and others are sworn in. Rogers is a “lifelong resident of Fairmont” and serves as general manager of Lumberton ABC store, according to information from Kemp. She will finish the remainder of his term which ends in 2023.
The nomination was made official through a tiebreaker vote cast by Mayor Charles Townsend. Commissioners voting in favor of the nomination were Heather Seibles, Charles Kemp and Mayor Pro Tem J.J. McCree. Commissioners in opposition were Felecia McLean, Monte McCallum and Terry Evans.
“As I stated, I reject that motion,” Commissioner Terry Evans said.
“We are putting the cart before the horse,” he added. “If he’s gonna resign, he needs to resign right now, not the 21st.”
Evans said a gentleman’s agreement existed in which board members agreed to wait for new members to take their seats on the board and take part in the decision making process of appointing a new commissioner. Commissioner Monte McCallum agreed.
Fairmont attorney Jessica Scott said the commissioners could choose to honor a gentlemen’s agreement or vote on the nomination.
“However the board wants to move forward, it’s up to the board,” Scott said.
McCallum called the action of moving the nomination up ahead of the December swearing-in date “unethical and almost downright crooked.”
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Stonemont to develop new warehouse and distribution hub
LUMBERTON – Stonemont Financial Group announced Tuesday it has closed on the land for a new build-to-suit warehouse and distribution facility in Lumberton for Elkay.
Stonemont, a private real estate investment firm specializing in industrial development and net lease assets, will serve as the owner and developer for the project, which has an expected completion date of October 2022.
Elkay is a 101-year-old, family-owned company based out of the Chicago metro area, with 28 manufacturing and operating facilities located across the country and internationally in locations including China, Mexico and Austria. Elkay is a manufacturer of sinks, faucets, bottle filling stations and drinking fountains.
The warehouse and distribution center will sit within the new industrial park located at the intersection of U.S. 74 and Interstate 95, with Elkay serving as the anchor tenant at the development.
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Former substance abuse counselor at Ft. Bragg arrested
RALEIGH — A former substance abuse counselor was arrested Nov. 22 for an indictment that alleges sexual contact without consent and sexual activity by a custodian at Ft. Bragg Military Reservation.
Harell Jamison, age 47, a former substance abuse counselor for Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care at Womack Army Medical Center, was arrested in Raleigh for the charges pursuant to an indictment by a federal grand jury on Nov. 2, according to a Monday announcement by Michael F. Easley Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The indictment alleges that Jamison touched an individual in the genitalia, groin and inner thigh without her permission on July 14. This touching occurred on Ft. Bragg Military Reservation and while Jamison was an employee of Womack Army Medical Center, an institution having custody of the individual.
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Anson students growing vegetables for NASA
WADESBORO — Anson High School students are growing plants for a research project with NASA which, when the students finish, will be sent to the International Space Station.
NASA has partnerships with schools to teach valuable scientific skills while building research to actually be used in space, helping to find the predecessors to extraterrestrial agriculture. Schools partner with NASA’s Vegetable Production System (Veggie) and the International Space Station to test crops.
The goal is for these plants to provide astronauts with fresh, pick-and-eat produce aboard the spacecraft, useful because the standard freeze-dried and prepackaged foods can lose nutrients quickly and lack flavor.
From Champion Media reports