Boswell resigns from Board of Commissioners to head to Raleigh

By IRENE NOLAN

Republican Beverly Boswell resigned from the Dare County Board of Commissioners at yesterday’s meeting as  she prepares to head to Raleigh to fill the North Carolina House District 6 seat vacated by Paul Tine of Kitty Hawk.

The Dare County Republican Party now has 30 days to recommend her replacement to the county commissioners after a process that will include accepting applications and conducting interviews, said Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard, who is one of six Republicans on the seven-member board.

Boswell was in her first term as a commissioner and won the House seat in the Nov. 8 general election that pitted her against her colleague on the board, Warren Judge, a Democrat who had served 16 years as a commissioner.

The race ended up marred by the tragedy of Judge’s sudden death just three days before the election. His wife agreed to serve his term if he should win, but he lost to Boswell by 1,551 votes.

After the board unanimously accepted her resignation, Boswell said, “I am going to miss you all.”

“This comes with our congratulations or condolences, whichever the case should be,” one commissioner noted, referring to last year’s occasional skirmishes with the General Assembly over local issues.

“Commissioner Boswell worked very hard,” said Woodard. “She takes a stance she believes in and she lives by it.”

Woodard said Boswell, an avowed conservative, was instrumental in keeping Oregon Inlet open to boat traffic, cutting back on capital improvement from “wants” to “needs,” and working with the Board of Education on the “5 and 5” group.

Boswell will have a District 6 swearing in ceremony, along with re-elected Republican Sen. Bill Cook on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Dare County Courthouse with a reception to follow.

Boswell’s replacement must live in the district that includes Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Colington.

ALSO OF INTEREST

Also at yesterday’s meeting, Commissioner Danny Couch was named to replace former Hatteras Island Commissioner Allen Burrus on the Dare County Waterways Commission.  Couch was already serving on the panel as an at-large member.  That seat is now open and will be filled soon, Woodard said.

In addition, Pat Weston of Avon was elected to replace Natalie Kavanagh of Frisco as the Hatteras Island – at large member of the county’s Tourism Board.  Kavanagh served the maximum two consecutive terms.

Both Weston and Dennis Robinson of Hatteras village applied to replace Kavanagh.

Commissioner Wally Overman nominated Weston, who received six votes — all from Republicans.  Commissioner Couch nominated Robinson, who received only one vote from the board’s lone Democrat.