WINDSOR – Bertie County Commissioner J. Wallace Perry moved over one seat.

While the move was simply a nod to his seniority as new board members Ronald D. Wesson and John Trent took office, it soon became permanent.

As part of the December meeting, each board of county commissioners must reorganize and the 2012 election cycle left the Bertie County Commissioners without their incumbent chairman.

Bertie County Manager Morris Rascoe opened the session before Trent and Wesson took their oaths. After having been sworn in, each man took a seat at the end of the table, moving incumbents Perry, Rick Harrell and Charles L. Smith to the center.

Rascoe then asked for a nomination for board chair and Smith placed Perry’s name in nomination. Perry was Vice Chairman during the last year. Trent seconded Perry’s nomination before the new chairman was selected by a unanimous vote.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Rascoe and my fellow board members,” Perry said. “I appreciate the confidence you have placed in me and I will do the best job I know how to do.”

Perry said he may make a mistake and invited the board to work with him in correcting those, but promised to give his all for the citizens of the county.

“It is my intention that our negotiations be friendly and that we always come out with the best answer for the people of Bertie County,” he said.

Perry then congratulated Trent and Wesson on their election and said he looked forward to working with them.

As his first order of business, Perry called for a motion on the position of Vice Chair. Harrell made a motion to name Smith to that position and Wesson seconded the choice. Smith was approved by a unanimous vote of the board.

Later in the meeting, Wesson made a suggestion concerning public comments. He said the board had previously allowed public comment both at the beginning and the end of meetings. He said the latter allowed the public to comment on things that happened during the session and he asked the group consider adding it back.

“That is already part of my plan,” Perry said. “We will start that and do so going forward.”