Commissioner Craig Kennedy has resigned from the Moore County Board of Commissioners, announcing his decision in a Thursday, April 25 letter to Chairman Nick Picerno.
Kennedy, who serves as the Board's Vice Chairman, was elected to a four-year term in 2010, defeating incumbent Commissioner Cindy Morgan in the Republican Primary. He lives near Robbins and has been an consistent advocate for economic development in North Moore.
In his letter of resignation, Kennedy wrote: "I'm unable to complete my term as a Moore County Commissioner due to my work schedule and family commitments. I know Moore County is in good hands with our current Administration and Commissioners. I have enjoyed my time serving the taxpayers of of Moore County and feel very grateful to have had this opportunity. "
Kennedy is employed by Mountaire Farms in Candor as a night-shift truck driver, delivering chicken feed to local growers. He was absent from both the April 16 regular Board of Commissioners meeting and a day-long Critical Issues Summit the Board held on April 18.
Kennedy told The Times on Friday that his job often requires him to work sixty hours a week, making it difficult to attend meetings of the many committees and boards on which commissioners serve.
The remaining members of the Board of Commissioners will appoint a replacement to serve out Kennedy's unexpired term, though who they appoint is likely to be determined by the Executive Committee of the Moore County Republican Party.
The North Carolina General Statutes require that the replacement be of the same political party and reside in the same district as the member being replaced. In forty-two of the state's one hundred counties, including Moore County, the law requires that the Board of Commissioners consult the Executive Committee of the appropriate political party for a recommendation -- and appoint the person recommended, as long as that recommendation is made within thirty days of the vacancy.
Moore County GOP Chairman John Rowerdink told The Times that the party's Executive Committee includes not only the party's chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer, but also the GOP captains of the county's twenty-six precincts, along with some committee chairs. Rowerdink said a date had not yet been set for the committee to gather and make its recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.
The district that Kennedy represents, District 3, is the County's largest, geographically, stretching all the way from the Lee County border on the east to the Montgomery County border on the west, encompassing the town of Robbins, and running south along the County's western border to take in Eagle Springs.
When new district lines were drawn after the 2010 census, Seven Lakes West was carved out of Commissioner District 2 and added to Commissioner District 3, which means a resident of Seven Lakes West would be qualified to replace Kennedy. The enlargement of the District followed NC Highway 211 eastward to also take in Taylortown and portions of Pinewild.
Kennedy told The Times that he had met with some members of the GOP Executive Committee and encouraged them to recommend a replacement who resides in North Moore.
Moore County Elections Director Glenda Clendenin told The Times that there are 5,167 registered Republicans in District 3, so the GOP Executive Committee will have plenty of potential replacements from which to choose.
