By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

Commissioner Amon McKenzie had expected to be reappointed to the County Social Services Board. But that’s not what happened at the Columbus County Board of Commissioners’ meeting Monday night.

It was decided in a 5-2 vote that Commissioner Ronald Gore would take his place.

Commissioner James Prevatte made the motion to appoint Gore to the social services board.

“I’d sure like to stay on that board,” McKenzie said. “There must be a reason why you don’t want (me) to stay on there.”

Chairman Sammie Jacobs called for a vote on the matter, in which only he and McKenzie opposed Gore’s appointment.

Commissioner Bill Memory took quite some time to cast his vote in favor of Gore. Staring at the desk with his hands folded and pressed against his forehead the clerk to the board called on him to cast his vote twice before he finally responded.

“Amon (McKenzie) I think the world of you,” Memory said.

“Don’t do a speech,” McKenzie, the current chair of the Social Services board, declared.

Social Service board members serve three-year terms on the five-member board. The state board appoints two members (Guillermo Noguera and Kenneth Skipper).

The local DSS board appoints one (Ruth Storms). Commissioners appoint two (Gore and Michael A. Lewis).