Ben Faulkenberry
Gary L Herman
The Alexander County Board of Commissioners appointed Ben Faulkenberry to serve as Interim County Manager at a special called meeting on Thursday. The board met in closed session to discuss possible candidates for the interim manager position following the recent news about County Manager Shane Fox’s resignation.
“I am honored to accept the role of Interim County Manager for Alexander County and appreciate the commissioners’ confidence in my abilities,” said Faulkenberry, who has served as County Attorney since 2022. “I look forward to working closely with the board, staff, and community to continue the progress and positive momentum in Alexander County.”
Board Chairman Josh Lail said, “By serving as County Attorney for the past two years, Ben has knowledge of the inner workings of our county government, plus he has the leadership ability to help move Alexander County forward. While Ben keeps things running smoothly, commissioners will be working hard to find a new county manager.”
NC General Statute 153A-84 states, “Whenever the position of county manager is vacant, the board of commissioners shall designate a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of manager until the vacancy is filled.”
Faulkenberry will be working alongside Shane Fox for the next month or so. Fox’s last day on the job in Alexander County will be April 30.
A native of Alexander County, Faulkenberry is a 2003 graduate of Alexander Central High School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007 and graduated from the Elon University School of Law in 2011. Faulkenberry served as a prosecutor for the NC Courts system for 10 years in Iredell, Catawba, and Alexander counties.
Commissioners also discussed the hiring process for a new county manager. The board voted to utilize the services of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) for the county manager search.