ROCKINGHAM — Jeff Smart was recently elected to serve again as chairman of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.
After recognizing the accreditation of the Richmond County Health Department, then-Chairman Dr. Rick Watkins turned the floor to County Manager Bryan Land to explain the rules of the leadership elections — required each December — and took nominations.
Commissioner Jamie Gathings nominated Smart, while Commissioner Andy Grooms named Watkins.
The vote was 4-3, with Smart voting for himself and the support of Commissioners Jason Gainey, Justin Dawkins and Gathings.
Smart had previously served as chairman since he was elected in late 2020, until a contentious election last year eventually resulted in Watkins getting the role, and Grooms chosen as vice chairman.
The two men switched seats with Smart taking over the meeting, calling for nominations for vice chair. Gathings nominated Gainey and Commissioner Robin Roberts nominated Grooms.
That vote was the same, with the “J-bloc” supporting Gainey.
Smart thanked Watkins and Grooms for their leadership over the past year.
“We will move forward as a team,” Smart said. “We have a lot of positive stuff going on …in this county and my hope is — as a board of seven — we will continue …that positive way in Richmond County for our citizens.”
Following the elections, Land gave his monthly report, starting with statistics related to the Amazon project at the Energy Way Industrial Park on Airport Road, south of Hamlet.
According to Land:
On-site utilities are set to begin Dec. 15 and foundations for the first building on the campus will start a month later, Land said.
“So when we say this project has been fast-tracked, it certainly has,” Land added, just before rolling a slideshow of the progress.
Amazon is investing $10 billion for a 20-building data center campus and plans to employee 500 people within the next 20 years.
