Some new and some not so new faces in local government are taking office this month.
And as far as one Richmond Hill city council seat goes, it’s not clear who’ll fill in for the city’s late mayor pro tem, Johnny Murphy.
Murphy died Dec. 19 after a long battle with cancer and the city will hold a March 19 special election for Murphy’s seat on council.
Qualifying will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- with an hour lunch from noon to 1 p.m. -- Tuesday, Jan. 29 though Thursday, Jan. 31, City Clerk Dawnne Greene said.
The qualifying fee is $150.
Other offices
Among those taking office this year in different or new roles are Amy Perkins Murphy and Pam Gunter on the Bryan County Board of Education and Dr. Gene Wallace, a retired Richmond Hill dentist, on the Bryan County Board of Commissioners.
Wallace was sworn in Thursday evening at the South Bryan Administrative Complex.
He ran unopposed and replaces longtime District 5 County Commissioner Rick Gardner after he decided not to run again, said a priority was to ensure South Bryan and Richmond Hill residents have first rate fire and emergency services protection.Murphy, who served as the District 3 representative since 2012 before stepping down in January to run for the chairman’s seat, was unopposed.
She said growth and its impact on schools would be a primary focus for her as a chair.
Gunter, a Pembroke accountant, will replace another Pembroke accountant, Paine Bacon, as the school board’s District 1 representative.
In 2016, Gunter was part of a group seeking to establish a charter school in Pembroke.
Bacon served two terms before deciding not to run again.
Gunter and Murphy will be sworn in at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Bryan County Board of Education office in Black Creek.