County appoints Ronnie Antry as interim tax administrator and honors health department for statewide award

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 17 appointed Ronnie Antry as interim tax administrator and issued a proclamation recognizing the county health department's statewide award.

County manager Miss Griffin announced Antry's appointment and summarized his background: according to the manager, Antry has 47 years of tax experience, served 34 years as tax administrator in Craven County, is a licensed real‑estate broker and a certified North Carolina assessor and tax collector, and has received awards including North Carolina Assessor of the Year (2003) and Outstanding Tax Collector of the Year (2016). The board voted to appoint him interim tax administrator during the meeting.

At the start of the meeting the board read a proclamation recognizing the Carteret County Health Department as the 2025 Dr. Sarah Taylor Morrow Health Department of the Year by the North Carolina Public Health Association. The proclamation cited work across disease prevention, environmental and maternal and child health, health education, emergency preparedness and highlighted a post‑overdose response team launched in August 2023 staffed by a full‑time manager and a certified peer support specialist. The proclamation says the program has "contributed to a 60 emergency room overdose visits and a significant increase in treatment engagement" (text as read in the meeting record). Commissioners and staff congratulated the health department and its leadership.

Shelley Ashley, Senior Services Representative, was nominated and confirmed for the county's Aging Planning Board and the Carter County Area Transportation System Advisory Board (nomination moved and approved by the board). Commissioners used their comment period to welcome the new interim tax administrator, congratulate department staff and extend Thanksgiving wishes to residents and county employees.