On Monday, December 2, the Gaston County Board of Commissioners seated its new members during an invocation ceremony that also included the Gaston County School Board, the Register of Deeds, Soil and Water Conservation District Board, and judicial officials.
Republican Cherryville Township Commissioner Alan Fraley and Republican Crowders Mountain Township Commissioner Bob Hovis were re-elected to their respective seats; Hovis for a third term and Fraley for his sixth. Also seated were new commissioners Jim Bailey (R-South Point Township) and Scott Shehan (R-Gastonia Township).
The invocation ceremony also saw the swearing-in of new Republican Register of Deeds Jonathan Fletcher, who replaced the retiring Susan Lockridge. It also included the swearing-in of the Gaston County Board of Education, which includes one new member – Janna Smith – as well as the swearing-in of Lee McConnell to the Soil and Water Conservation District.
Following the invocation, the Board of Commissioners held its annual organizational meeting, where Commissioner Chad Brown (R-Riverbend Township) was unanimously selected to serve as the board’s chairman for the fourth consecutive year. The Board also selected Cathy Cloninger (R-Gastonia Township) as vice chairman. It is the first time on board leadership for Cloninger, who is entering the third year of her first term.
