Pender County commissioners delay Beth Burns appointment

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Pender County commissioners delayed a vote Tuesday on appointing Beth Burns to fill the vacant District 1 seat on the Board of Commissioners.

Burns was recommended by the Pender County Republican Party following a 15-14 vote in August. She was selected to fill the seat left vacant by Brad George’s resignation.

Commissioner Jimmy Tate initially made a motion to approve Burns, but no other commissioner seconded it.

Commissioner Brent Springer then moved to table the appointment until “litigation has concluded.” Tate was the only commissioner to vote against tabling the appointment. The board’s attorney said a challenge had been filed against the validity of the Republican Party’s recommendation.

Burns will remain on the Pender County Board of Education for now. Her resignation from the school board was contingent on being sworn in as county commissioner.

One of the challenges to Burns’ appointment involved her husband, Jim Burns, who participated in the GOP executive committee vote. Pender County Republican Party Chairman Joshua Smith said party rules do not require family members to recuse themselves from such votes.