By Jessie Burchette

Salisbury Post

Jon Barber, county commissioner for a year, passed up a chance Monday night to be the chairman of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners.

In the annual reorganization session, Commissioner Jim Sides nominated Barber, a teacher and Mount Ulla resident.

Vice Chairman Chad Mitchell nominated Arnold Chamberlain to continue as chairman.

During the vote, Barber raised his hand to vote for Chamberlain, instead of himself.

Along with Barber and Mitchell, Chamberlain voted for himself, thereby winning another year at the helm of the board.

Sides and Tina Hall voted for Barber.

Sides and Hall have publicly clashed with Chamberlain over issues and his style of running meetings, sometimes limiting or prohibiting discussions or comments.

"We've had a pretty good year," Chamberlain said. "It's still a split board ... We'll work through that."

The board was unanimous in its selection of Mitchell to continue as vice chairman.

Commissioners voted unanimously to name Finance Director Leslie Heidrick as interim county manager, effective when County Manager Bill Cowan leaves on Dec. 31. Cowan has taken a job in real estate development in Pinehurst.

Heidrick also served briefly as interim manager in 2005 when Tim Russell was fired and before Cowan was hired.

The board agreed to increase Heidrick's pay during the time she serves as manager. The amount will be determined at the next meeting.

Commissioners began the process of looking at applications for the manager's job.

The board went into closed session shortly after 5 p.m. Monday to review 13 applications.

Chamberlain asked County Attorney Jay Dees to stay for the closed session. Other county staffers were excused.

Commissioners remained in closed session for about 15 minutes and decided to take copies of the applications with them for further study.

The board will likely get additional applications at the Dec. 17 meeting.

The county began advertising for a manager last month. Commissioners agreed to begin reviewing applications after Nov. 30.

The county will continue to receive applications until the position is filled.

In business Monday, the board:

* Agreed to allow the Rowan-Salisbury School System to dispose of a former cafeteria building at Morgan Elementary School.

Assistant Superintendent Gene Miller said the Gold Hill Historical Society is interested in moving and preserving the building.

* Reappointed Dr. Ann Furr and Mark Hammill to the Agricultural Advisory Board for three-year terms.

* Reappointed Dr. Robert Tannehill, Mary Henley and Barbara Andrews to the Board of Health for two-year terms.

* Reappointed Lori Yang, Pamela Misenheimer, Wilbert Sadler, Michelle Patterson and Gary Freeze to two-year terms on county library booard.

* The shortest commissioner's meeting in a year or more is scheduled to be shown on Access 16 later this week. The date and time hasn't been set.

Contact Jessie Burchette at 704-797-4254 or jburchette@salisburypost.com.