
A new face on the Forsyth County commission means new appointees for various local boards. Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills, who started her four-year term Thursday, announced her selections for county panels during the commission’s meeting. All of her appointments received 4-0 votes of approval from the commission, with Todd Levent absent. Mills named new residents for five positions, which will replace the appointments of Patrick Bell, who lost his bid for re-election to the District 4 post. For four-year terms concurrent with hers, Mills selected: Alan Neal for planning commission; Bettina Hammond for the zoning board of appeals; and Bert Durand for the public facilities authority. Neal and Hammond will take the place of Jim Kinsey, who had been serving in both roles, and Durand will fill the spot of Paul Kreager, who resigned. Mills also tapped Gary Cooper for the parks and recreation board to fill the unexpired term of Charlotte Gardner, who resigned last year but agreed to stay on through the end of Bell’s term. Mills selected Deborah Chambers for the Keep Forsyth County Beautiful Board. Mills said she’s pleased with all the residents who agreed to serve in these capacities.“They all live in my district, District 4, which is not a requirement, but it’s a good thing,” she said. Mills said she sought out people she viewed as having appropriate backgrounds for the task at hand. She’s “thrilled” to appoint Neal to the planning commission based on his career in civil engineering and knowledge of topics that will come before that panel.“I just think he’s going to be a wonderful, wonderful asset to the board,” she said. Hammond, who will take a post on the ZBA, was former District 4 Commissioner David Richard’s appointment to the planning commission, Mills said. Mills said Durand, a local banker, fit the bill for the public facilities authority, which has the ability to issue bonds for public projects, among other powers. Cooper, the parks board appointee, has much experience as a volunteer in local athletic programs, she said. Mills served for 11 years as the District 4 representative on the parks board before stepping down in December 2011 prior to launching her campaign for commissioner.