Morgan County commissioners reorganize leadership, approve a slate of board appointments

Don Adams was elected chair during the Morgan County Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 5 meeting as commissioners completed their annual reorganization and approved a large slate of appointments.

The board opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation before moving to reorganization. Unidentified Speaker 1 nominated Don Adams for chair; the nomination was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Commissioners then handled a series of routine reappointments and nominations across advisory and governing boards. Motions to reappoint and approve named individuals passed by voice vote, typically recorded as 3 to 0. Approved appointments included Christina Lewis and Brent Fultz to Community Corrections; Howard McCormick to the Local Alcohol Beverage Board; Terry Brock and Brian Collier to the Economic Development Corporation; and Jeff Pipkin, Brad Shields, Carol Snyder and Dr. Jake Allen to the Redevelopment Commission. Several nominees who had not yet responded were deferred for follow-up.

Unidentified Speaker 3 moved to appoint Abby Worth as Emergency Management Agency director; the motion was seconded and approved. Unidentified Speaker 3 also nominated Ann Cowger for county attorney; that appointment likewise passed.

The board discussed steps to give the public greater visibility into boards’ roles and meeting schedules and said the county administrator is preparing expectations and informational materials for new appointees.

The meeting adjourned after additional routine business was completed. The board recorded no dissenting votes on the listed appointments.

Ending: The commissioners said remaining appointment items will be addressed at the next meeting and that several deferred selections will be confirmed after additional outreach.