Dallas County Commissioners, two School Board members sworn in at courthouse ceremony

Dallas County Commissioners who won their races in the recent elections were sworn into office on Nov. 13. 

The first commissioner to be sworn in was District 1 Commissioner Connel Towns, who ran unopposed. Probate Judge and Commission Chair Jimmy Nunn administered the oath of office. 

After being sworn in, Towns told the crowd, “I’m getting ready to start my 24^th year as a county commissioner, and it’s been wonderful to serve the people of Selma and Dallas County.” He added that the commission is a team serving all of the people of the county, and this commission seated is a “great group of people.”

Vivian Rogers, who narrowly beat Ronnie Sawyer for her second term in the District 2 seat, was next to be sworn in by Nunn. Rogers thanked her supporters and added, “I have enjoyed being a commissioner because I love serving the people, all the people.” 

Rogers said commissioners “help each other. Because like Towns said, we’re a team.” 

The next commissioner to be sworn in was Dallas County’s longest serving commissioner, Curtis Williams in District 3. He was elected for the first time in 1994. He ran unopposed in this most recent election. 

Williams was sworn in by Judge Maggie Drake-Peterson. She said it was her “pleasure and joy” to administer the Oath of Office to Williams because “not only is he the longest-serving Dallas County Commissioner, but he’s also my little brother.” 

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Williams thanked all of his friends, family and the citizens of Dallas County. “Most of all, I want to thank God for giving me another chance to serve the people of Dallas County,” Williams said.

Many of William’s friends and family members were on hand for the ceremony, including his other sister, Mamie Williams Solomon, who was sworn into the Dallas County Board of Education at the same ceremony by Judge Drake-Peterson. 

District 4’s new commissioner, William Lumpkin, was sworn in to his first term by Nunn. A large group of friends and family from his hometown of Orrville were on hand, including his wife, Orrville Mayor Louvenia Lumpkin.

Commissioner Lumpkin said, “I am determined to seeing to the business of moving Dallas County forward. The only reason we’re in this position is to see what we can do to help Dallas County.”

After the swearing in, as per state law, the Dallas County Commission held an organizational meeting where the commissioners elected Nunn as chair and Towns as vice chair. Meetings will remain on the second Monday of each month at 4 p.m. in the commission chambers at the Dallas County Courthouse Annex.

After the commission organizational meeting, two Dallas County Board of Education members were sworn in. For District 2, incumbent Melvin Flanagan Brown was given the oath of office by Nunn, and Mamie Williams Solomon was sworn in to the District 3 Board of Education seat by Drake-Peterson.