The Anson County Board of Commissioners’ leadership will remain the same, after Anna Baucom and Ross Streater were re-elected chair and vice chair, respectively, at Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting. The motion to re-elect the pair passed unanimously.

After being named chair for another 12-month term, Baucom asked for a moment of silence to reflect on the recent vandalism at Cedar Hill A.M.E. Zion Church in Ansonville and to reflect on the holiday season, before the board went into closed session for about 20 minutes to discuss economic development.

Once the commissioners emerged from closed session, Rev. Renee Bethea, pastor at Cedar Hill A.M.E. Zion Church, had arrived to lead the invocation. After the prayer, Baucom told Rev. Bethea that the commissioners are willing to do whatever they can to help the church recover from the vandalism.

“Most of our renovations have been done,” Bethea said. “With the help of insurance and donations, everything is done except the windows. We have been blessed.”

In other business, the commissioners approved a sewer use ordinance, a request to fill a full-time position in water distribution and the addition of a wrecker from ATR Towing to the county’s wrecker service.

A budget planning calendar for 2012-13 was also approved, with the commissioners’ annual budget retreat planned for Saturday, March 3. The meeting calendar for 2012 was also approved, with meetings being held the first Tuesday of each month, with the exception of January and July, when the meetings will be moved to the 9th due to holidays. An economic development retreat was also planned for either Jan. 7 or 14.

In his report to the board, Gatewood stated that the financial audit for fiscal year 2010-11 had been submitted to the state on Nov. 30. “It’s a very encouraging report,” he said, adding that the bonded debt has one more year to go before it’s paid off. Also, the fund balance topped $8 million, compared to $6.5 million the previous year, and it includes $1.5 million for the various renovations currently ongoing on several county buildings and properties.

The courthouse renovation project is still on time and on budget, Gatewood said. In total, about $51,000-52,000 will be spent on renovations to the Hampton B. Allen Library, and $130,000 on the Parks & Recreation building. Planning is also ongoing for a new Emergency Management base on Country Club Road.

The board also heard an update on the GIS project, web design update and repairs to a driveway on Richmond Street, all of which are ongoing.

Appointments were made to the EMS Advisory Board. Streater asked to make his appointment in January, while Jason Miller was appointed for the District 2 position on the board. Thomasina Spencer was appointed to the Centralina Council of Governments Regional Advisory Council.

The commissioners went into closed session again at the end of the meeting to discuss personnel.

The Anson County Board of Commissioners will next meet on Monday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Anson County Government Center.