By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court Vickie Daniel swore in three new members to the Richmond County Soil and Water Conservation board Friday morning in Rockingham.

Stephanie Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Tommy Deese Sr., Pat D. Dial and Jared Gainey take their oaths of office in front of Vickie Daniel, Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court.
Sworn into office were Tommy Deese Sr., Pat D. Dial and Jared Gainey. Only Deese appeared on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. He attracted 9,330 votes. Gainey was a write-in candidate and drew 254 votes. Both seats are four-year terms. There were 279 additional write-in votes that went to a wide range of individuals.
Three members of the five-person board are elected. The other two are appointed. Two seats were open this election, with the other elected seat being open in 2016.
Dial’s position is an appointed one. She was first appointed to the board last fall to complete the unexpired term of Supervisor Larry R. Chandler, who unexpectedly died on Aug. 23, 2013, while in office. Dial’s appointment is effective Dec. 1 and is a four-year term.
Cecil Robinson was appointed into office in May 2014 by the Soil & Water Commission when Supervisor Robert Hill stepped down due to health issues.
In 2016, supervisors Joyner chair and the Hill chair terms will end. Jeff Joyner, board chairman, will be up for election and Soil and Water Commission will appoint someone to fill Hill’s seat. Joyner has served on the nonpartisan board since his election in 2000.
The local office provides programs, technical services and educational outreach promoting voluntary natural resource management and conservation on the private lands of NC through a non-regulatory, incentive-driven approach.
Stephanie Spradlin contributed to this report.
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