Union County leader resigns. Board has 60 days to fill seat or court clerk decides
Union County Commissioner Gary Sides resigned from the Board of County Commissioners Monday, creating a vacancy local leaders will need to fill in the coming weeks.
Sides’ resignation is effective immediately, according to a county news release issued Monday. County officials did not provide a reason for his resignation in the release, and it was not immediately clear what prompted his decision to step down. Under North Carolina law, the remaining members of the Union County Board of Commissioners have 60 days to appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of his term.
The departure comes just over a year after Sides was elected to the board in 2024, but his time in public office in Union County stretches back much further. Before joining the commission, Sides served on the Stallings Town Council from 2004 to 2005. He later was elected to the Union County Board of Education in 2014, where he served for a decade before moving to the county’s governing board, according to the county’s website.
The Charlotte Observer contacted Sides via email and phone call for comment Monday afternoon.
Because Sides is a Republican, his replacement must also come from the GOP. State law requires commissioners to consult the local party when filling the vacancy, but the board ultimately makes the appointment. If the seat remains unfilled after 60 days, the clerk of court would step in.
In the meantime, the board is expected to continue its regular operations without interruption, according to the news release.
