Madison County elects leadership, confirms department heads and commission assignments

At its first meeting of the year, the Madison County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner John Richwine as board president and Olivia Pratt as vice president for calendar year 2025, and confirmed a slate of department heads and commissioner board assignments.

A motion to elect John Richwine as president passed by voice vote; Olivia Pratt was elected vice president by voice vote after receiving a nomination. The board also approved department-head appointments as presented by motion from the board: Tom Ecker, county administrator; Jeff Graham, county attorney; Jessica Baston, county engineer; Roger Edens, EMA director; Jay Chambers, dispatch director; Stephanie Mellinger, health department director; Scott Harless, highway superintendent; Beatrice Ramey, human resources director; Lisa Cannon, IT director; John Smock, properties manager; D.V. Keesling, recycling center; David Herbert and Christopher Teague, veterans affairs; and David Kane, NCC (n triple c).

Commissioners also recorded their assignments to several boards and intergovernmental bodies: all three commissioners serve on the board of finance and the public records commission; Rick Gardiner will serve on the community justice advisory board and the council of governments and represent the county on Region 5 workforce development and job source; Olivia Pratt was assigned to the planning commission and the cemetery commission; John Richwine was assigned to drainage board. The board approved the appointments and assignments by voice vote.

The elections and appointments were presented as routine organizational actions to begin the 2025 term and will guide who represents the county on boards through the year.