A new commissioner is appointed to the Wayne County Board.

Once Tuesday’s meeting was called to order, it barely took one minute for the county commissioners to unanimously appoint Freeman Hardison, Jr. to the vacant District 4 seat.

Hardison is the former Chair of the Wayne County GOP.

He will replace Commissioner A. Joe Gurley, III, who passed away in May.

Hardison grew up outside of Newton Grove, NC and attended NC A&T University. After college, Freeman spent 29 years working in various laboratory leadership roles. In 2013, he retired to Grantham, NC and has served on numerous boards including the Wayne County Planning Board, Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority, WayneUNC Health Care Board of Directors, Wayne Action Teams for Community Health, and Wayne County NC Extension Master Gardeners.

Hardison will be sworn in at 8 a.m. at the next regular Board of Commissioners meeting on July 21.