On Thursday evening, March 3, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners didn’t save the most important business for last – instead, the board got to it at the very start of the meeting.

After the opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, the board voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Frankie T. Jones Jr. to the District 7 commissioner’s seat.

Jones is the person that the Guilford County Democratic Party selected to take the place of former Guilford County Commissioner Carolyn Coleman, who passed away in January.

Retired North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Frye did the honors of swearing Jones in, and Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston was the first to offer Jones a warm welcome at the first meeting this year where masks weren’t required.

“We would like to officially welcome you to this body,” Alston said, adding that Jones was now entitled to all the rights and privileges of being a commissioner – and all the headaches and phone calls too.

Jones began his comments by expressing his gratitude to Carolyn Coleman for all of her important contributions to society throughout her life.

“Coleman is a legend in our state and in the nation,” he said.

He then asked for a moment of silence to honor Coleman.

Jones said he realized the importance of the position.

“Certainly, this is a pivotal time in our county, our state and our country,” Jones said.

He added that he welcomed everything that comes with the job – including “the headaches” that Alston mentioned.

Jones pledged that he would always keep in mind what the job was really about.

“It’s about people first,” he said.

He’s also said that, throughout his life, he’d had some excellent examples of “servant-leaders” to draw from.  He said those included Christ as well as his father and others.