Sullivan officials take oaths of office Tuesday

BLOUNTVILLE — New Sullivan County Mayor Zane Vanover and a mix of new and returning members of the County Commission elected Aug. 6 took oaths of office Tuesday afternoon for four-year terms, as did other county officials. More than 200 people packed the standing-room-only second-floor courtroom in the historic Sullivan County Courthouse downtown for ceremonies that took about an hour and included an admonishment by Sullivan County Criminal Court Judges James Goodwin seeking civility in politics. VANOVER Vanover, a four-year county commissioner, took the position vacated by Richard Venable, who served 16 years in non-consecutive terms. Venable, a former state House member and two-time Republican congressional candidate honored at a reception in Blountville Friday afternoon, attended the ceremonies but slipped out before they concluded. "Mayor Venable told me something one time that stuck with me a long time," Vanover said. "He said a good mayor is good with the words." Vanover said he isn't as good with them as Venable but said he will serve the community and county government with humility and a "commitment to serve everyone in the county." Vanover thanked his supporters. He was unopposed in the August general election but faced a Republican primary challenge May 5 from Angie Stanley, a former commissioner and current county school board member. Stanley took cell phone photos and videos of Vanover and others during the ceremonies. Beforehand, she talked with new District 6 County Commissioner Bob Harshbarger of Indian Springs and District 4 state Sen. Bobby Harshbarger, R-Kingsport. Bob Harshbarger supported her mayoral campaign. The senator, son of the new commissioner and U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-1st, performed the swearing in of his father. In a twist of father-son dynamic, outgoing District 1 state Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport, swore in his father, reelected District 10 Commissioner Larry Crawford of Kingsport. John Crawford lost the District 1 state House primary to outgoing District 6 Commissioner Jessica Means of Kingsport, who is unopposed to the Nov 3 Tennessee general election. Another District 6 commissioner, Gary Stidham, was unopposed in the GOP primary and general election for the District 2 seat begin vacated by the retiring Bud Hulsey. GOODWIN Goodwin, who originally sought a career in engineering and dreamed of a job with NASA, said he was taken aback that during the 2025 Megan Boswell murder trial that received national media attention when a social media commenter asked why the judge was drinking a beer in the courtroom. He said that was his daily bottle of Dr. Enuf, bottled in the Tri-Cities, and held one up he had Tuesday afternoon. "I always wanted to work for NASA. That never happened," said Goodwin, who was on an engineering path before going to law school. Instead of the misinterpreted presence of a soft drink bottle, he said a telling thing about him is that among the books in his office is always a Bible. He admonished the newly elected or reelected officials to bring civility to the next four years. "The one thing it seems we're losing in politics is civility," Goodwin said, challenging the newly elected or reelected "to be civil with one another," the public and in dealings with fellow officials. "I challenge everyone let's be civil with one another." OTHERS Of 24 commissioners, 12 were reelected and 12 new ones were elected, including three former commissioners from the past. All were elected as Republicans except Zac Thomas of District 11 in Kingsport elected as an independent because he didn't quality to vote in the GOP primary because he voted in fewer than three of the the immediate past four state and county GOP primaries. Of the 24, only new District 9 Commissioner Todd Golden of Kingsport, a Kingsport school board member, did not attend to be sworn in. Of all other officials, Sheriff Jeff Cassidy did not appear but had been sworn in earlier. School board member Paul Robinson also did not appear, but two others reelected, Michael Hughs and Chairman Matthew Price, did and were sworn in. Commissioners for 2026-2030 included newcomer Don Thompson in District 1, incumbent David Akard, newcomer Kim Harvey and former Commissioner Mark Vance in District 2, incumbent Andrew Cross in District 3, incumbents Michael Cole and Joyce Neal Croswhite and newcomer Josh Hayes in District 4, along with former Commissioner Ty Boomershine and incumbent Dwight King in District 5. The three District 6 commissioners are newcomers Bob Harshbarger and Tim Pullon and former Commissioner Matthew Johnson, while others sworn in were incumbents Sam Jones and Travis Ward in District 7, newcomer Stanley Hodges and incumbent Mark Ireson in District 8, incumbent Joe Carr and newcomer Golden in District 9, incumbent Crawford and newcomer Lakie Derrick in District 10 and incumbents John Gardner, Hunter Lock and newcomer Thomas in District 11. Other reelected county officeholders sworn in were Circuit Court Clerk Bobby Russell, Register of Deeds Sheena Tinsley, Commissioner of Highways Craig Ramey, County Attorney Josh Rose, Trustee Angela Taylor, County Court Clerk Teresa Jacobs and appointed District 6 Constable Wesley Whitaker, who voters chosen for the remainder of a four-year term in a special election.