<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The Beaufort County Council has been sworn in for the new terms and new leadership has been elected after an initial mishap.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>New County Council Members Chris Hervochon (District 8), Mark Lawson (District 9) and Joseph F. Passiment, Jr. (District 6), were sworn in on Jan. 2, while re-elected Council Members Stewart H. Rodman (District 11) and Alice Howard (District 4) reaffirmed their oaths. On December 21, new Council Member Larry McElynn (District 10) was sworn in and Council Member D. Paul Sommerville (District 2) reaffirmed his oath.&nbsp;</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>At the Jan. 2 meeting, the council voted to elect Brian Flewelling (District 5) as the new chairman and Michael E. Covert (District 7) as vice chair. However, three representatives were not present at the time of the vote, resulting in a procedural error that required a re-vote on Jan. 7. At that time, Rodman was elected chairman and Sommerville was elected vice chairman. Both will serve two-year terms in the leadership positions.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Beaufort County Council meetings are open to the public. To sign up for public comment, contact the Clerk to Council’s office at 843-255-2180. Beaufort County Council meetings are broadcast live on The County Channel at www.bcgov.net and on Comcast Channel 2, Hargray channels 9 and 113, and Spectrum Channel 1304.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><em>Photo at top: Seated Left to Right: Flewelling, Sommerville, Rodman, Dawson, Howard. Standing Left to Right: Passiment, Hervochon, Covert, Glover, McElynn, Lawson.</em><br></p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->