4 finalists in running for interim seat on Mecklenburg County board
Mecklenburg County commissioners have narrowed down to four people from a list of 22 applicants looking to serve as an interim replacement for commissioner Ella Scarborough.
The finalists are former state Rep. Beverly Earle; former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board Chair Mary McCray; former at-large county commissioner Wilhelmenia Rembert; and Sam Spencer, a spokesperson for Rep. Alma Adams, the former Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission and a current six-year member of the commission.
Each finalist received five or more ‘yes’ votes from commissioners to move forward to the interview. They will all receive the same questions during a meeting Saturday where they’ll be interviewed.
Commissioners voted to find an interim replacement for Scarborough last month, after she requested medical leave. Board of County Commissioners chair George Dunlap said last week that Scarborough was in hospice care, though he later clarified that he had not confirmed this with Scarborough’s family.
Her current condition is unclear. Scarborough, a longtime Black political leader in Charlotte, had been absent from meetings for months before taking leave.
Earle served as a state representative for more than 20 years, and was known as a leader on health and aging issues during her tenure. She announced her retirement in 2018.
McCray is a retired teacher and former president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators, and served as chair of the CMS board for seven years.
Rembert served as an at-large county commissioner from 2004-06, and also served as vice chair of the board during that time.
Spencer, along with being a spokesperson for Adams, is a former presidential elector and Democratic National Committee delegate for President Obama, the former Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission and a current six-year member of that board.
The interviews on Saturday are open to the public. The board will vote to nominate Scarborough’s interim replacement on March 15, and the winner will be sworn in March 22.
This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 5:01 PM.
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