Interim sheriff not named at Greene County Commissioners meeting

At the Greene County Commissioner’s meeting, an interim Sheriff was not selected. During the public notice portion of the meeting, Jason Tyndall, who ran unsuccessfully against Sheriff Lemmie Smith in the 2018 general election, used his available three minutes to act as an interview for the interim sheriff position that was mentioned on the agenda for the meeting.

Concerned citizen Charles Carter spoke after Tyndall and brought up North Carolina General Statute 162 about the Sheriff’s office.

162-3. Sheriff may resign. Every sheriff may vacate his office by resigning the same to the board of county commissioners of his county; and thereupon the board may proceed to elect another sheriff.

162-5. Vacancy filled; duties performed by coroner or chief deputy. If any vacancy occurs in the office of sheriff, the coroner of the county shall execute all process directed to the sheriff until the first meeting of the county commissioners next succeeding such vacancy, when the board shall elect a sheriff to supply the vacancy for the residue of the term, who shall possess the same qualifications, enter into the same bond, and be subject to removal, as the sheriff regularly elected. If the board should fail to fill such vacancy, the coroner shall continue to discharge the duties of sheriff until it shall be filled. In those counties where the office of coroner has been abolished, the chief deputy sheriff, or if there is no chief deputy, then the senior deputy in years of service, shall perform all the duties of the sheriff until the county commissioners appoint some person to fill the unexpired term.

As Sheriff Smith will still be serving Greene County until February 28, 2022, an interim sheriff cannot be chosen until the March 7, 2022 Greene County Commissioners meeting. From March 1-7, 2022, the chief deputy will be the acting sheriff.

The Greene County Commissioners voted unanimously on selecting the interim sheriff at the March 7, 2022 meeting.