Karen Bradley Shanks was appointed to serve as 3rd District county commissioner in an 11-7 vote during Monday’s Cumberland County Commission meeting.
“I appreciate the support and I’m excited to serve,” Shanks said.
A total of four candidates, Curt Boston, Craig Clark, Michael Dibiccaro and Shanks sought the position. Each candidate was allowed up to 10 minutes to address the county commission prior to the vote.
Former 3rd District Cumberland County Commissioner Rebecca Stone turned in a resignation letter to Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster last month, stating she was planning to resign but wished to stay in office until the county commission named a replacement in December.
Foster explained that commissioners could nominate one person. The highest number or majority of votes would win the seat.
Sue York, 1st District commissioner, nominated Shanks. Stone nominated Craig Clark. Wiley Potter, 1st District commissioner, nominated Curt Boston.
Nancy Hyder, 2nd District commissioner, said, “This is one of the hardest things we have to do. All these candidates are great. I know them all personally … they are all winners even if they may not get the vote. These are the best candidates we’ve had.”
Stone said she was proud that there were four candidates who were willing to serve.
In the first round of voting Boston received a total of four votes from commissioners Potter; David Gibson, 4th District; Mark Baldwin and Jerry Cooper, both of the 7th District.
Clark received a total of seven votes from commissioners Tom Isham, 2nd District; Stone; Jack Davis, 5th District; Joe Sherrill, 6th District; Greg Maxwell, 8th District; Colleen Mall and John Patterson, both of the 9th District.
Shanks received a total of seven votes from commissioners York; Hyder, Darrell Threet, 3rd District; Charles Seiber, 4th District; Terry Lowe, 5th District; Wendell Wilson, 6th District; and Deborah Holbrook, 8th District.
The total was Boston, 4; Clark, 7; and Shanks, 7.
Boston was then eliminated for the second round of voting.
During the second and final round of voting Shanks received seven votes from York, Hyder, Threet, Seiber, Lowe, Wilson, Holbrook and picked up votes from Potter, Gibson, Baldwin and Cooper for a total of 11 votes.
Clark kept the same seven votes he had from Isham, Stone, Davis, Sherrill, Maxwell, Mall and Patterson.
Shanks was then sworn in by Foster, congratulated by Stone, who then left the seat and Shanks took the seat representing the 3rd District.
After the meeting she was also congratulated by Clark and several others who attended the meeting.