In a span of about five minutes time on Monday morning, Dec. 7, two new Guilford County commissioners were sworn in and Guilford County government underwent a seismic change.
Democratic Commissioners Carly Cooke and James Upchurch took their recently won seats on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, giving the board a Democratic majority for the first time since December 2012.
Another Democratic commissioner very likely to be seated soon is Mary Beth Murphy, who had 72 votes more than District 4 incumbent Commissioner Alan Branson in the November election. However, Branson is contesting those results and, due to that challenge, Murphy will have to wait to be sworn in after what’s widely expected to be a failed election challenge.
The two new commissioners kept their speeches brief in the socially distanced second-floor commissioners meeting room in the Old Guilford County Court House.
“I’m humbled by this responsibility I’ve been given,” Cooke said. “I’m committed to serving honestly and earnestly.”
She also said she was “incredibly hopeful” for what she can help the board achieve for Guilford County.
Upchurch also said he was very humbled by the honor and added that he is looking forward to working with all of the commissioners. Upchurch, 25, also called attention to the fact that he was the youngest Guilford County commissioner to ever be elected, and he said that, given that fact, he really appreciated the faith the voters showed in him by electing him.
The two were both sworn in by Guilford County Superior Court Judge Lora Cubbage.
Normally, during a December swearing-in ceremony, the meeting room would have been packed with family, friends, well-wishers and spectators. This year, due, of course, to COVID-19, the meeting room was largely empty other than the presence of close family and members of the media.
So sorry for the people of GUILFORD county having to put up with mostly dems on the boards of everything so there goes any dependability for GUILFORD county in any government situation. Pray for Alan Branson
Thats a “deer in the headlight look.” These two think this is a high school debate team. They will likely remain clueless and play Skippy says for the foreseeable future. Never mind Branson, pray for the whole county.
You know Cooke and Upchurch are the most educated members on the board, right?
And my grandparents had a sign in their kitchen that said “Its what you learn after you know it all that counts!” Their education in politics and government procedure is just beginning. For those of us who have been watching closely for years this just looks like two white faces (soon to be three) to nod and press yes to whatever Skip brings to the table and to bring more waste and whiny liberal topics into the worthless discussions at the dais.
I will remind all to gear up for your current taxes to Probably go up by a third in the next couple years thanks to your wonderful Dems .I think the people of Guilford county that their elevators do not go to the second floor.Why vote these Dems in, you know they are very good about spending everyone else’s money.We have already seen Skip(The Big Man,Chairman).He basically has already anointed himself as Chairman.Look at the amount he wants to Saddle the county with.$1 Billion plus.