Spears Recognizes Outgoing Officials at Court Meeting

RISON - Presiding over her final regular monthly meeting of the Cleveland County Quorum Court, County Judge Spears recognized members of the county road department during the Dec. 5 meeting. Spears will be completing the unfinished term of her husband, the late Gary Spears, on Dec. 31. State law prohibits anyone appointed to a position within county government from running for that same position in the next election. Spears, however, will remain active in county government as she will officially become the District 2 justice of the peace on Jan. 1. Spears ran unopposed this year after the sitting justice, Donald Triplett, decided no to seek re-election. District 2 includes the New Edinburg area. It was also decided during the Dec. 5 quorum court meeting, that a mass swearing-in ceremony for newly elected officials will be h eld at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, in the courtroom of the Cleveland County Courthouse in Rison. Several members of the road department were in attendance at the Dec. 5 meeting, and Spears introduced each one individually, describing their years of service to the county. Road department workers include Jimmy Adair, five years of service in March; Robert Adair, 14 years; Sonny Bowen, five years; Jason Coleman, two years; Ronnie Coleman, eight years; Marty Erwin, 25 years; Corey Gray, nine years; Ronnie McManus, 15 years; Tim Roberts, 20 years; Roer Reed, eight years; Jared Spears, 14 years; Ricky Hoke, 24 years; Veodis Wainwright, 20 years; and Wayne White, 27 years. Other Business In other business at the Dec. 5 quorum court meeting: • The quorum court voted to move its January 2023 meeting to 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building. Spears pointed out that the regular meeting date for January fell on Jan. 2, which is being recognized as a the New Year's Day holiday by state and county governments. • During the discussion of the January meet...