During Monday nights County Commissioners meeting, Lavern Coleman, in a split vote was elected board chair. Coleman was also sworn in for his 2nd term. He replaces Cerro Gordo representative Ricky Bullard who has held the position since 2020.

Coleman, 70, is a life-long resident of Columbus County and worked for International Paper for over 40 years. He holds an Associates Degree in Pulp and Paper, he was elected to the board in 2020.

Chris Smith replaced Giles Byrd as Vice Chair.

Photo credit: Lavern Coleman’s 2020 Campaign