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Personnel Advisory Board

Sheriff Tom Morrissey advocated for the creation of the board in 1973—it remains the only one of its kind in North Carolina.

The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office Personnel Advisory Board was formed in 1973 by the North Carolina General Assembly N.C.S.L. § 1973-297.1: "There is hereby created a Personnel Advisory Board for the Sheriff's Department of Buncombe County which shall be composed of five members to be appointed by the senior regular resident Superior Court judge of the 28th Judicial District."

About the Board

Bill Mance, Larry Dodson, Joan Creasman, Dr. Gene Bell and Tom Sobol were each sworn in by Judge Thornburg on March 22, 2019. Ms. Creasman was elected by the five-member board to serve as their chair.

The board is fully independent of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and its role is to advise Sheriff Miller on personnel matters. Additionally, any employee of the Sheriff’s Office may have an appeal hearing by the board on disciplinary actions or employment decisions that have been made by Sheriff Miller.

Meetings and communication between the board, current or past employees of the Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Miller are matters that involve personnel records and therefore are not subject to public records laws.

Group photo of the Personnel Advisory Board; left to right: Bill Mance, Larry Dodson, Joan Creasman, Sheriff Quentin Miller, Judge Alan Thornburg, Board Attorney Joy McIver, Dr. Gene Bell, Tom Sobol.
Left to right: Bill Mance, Larry Dodson, Joan Creasman, Sheriff Quentin Miller, Judge Alan Thornburg, Board Attorney Joy McIver, Dr. Gene Bell, Tom Sobol.

Duties of the Personnel Advisory Board

As defined by N.C.S.L. § 2007-238.2.(c):

  1. To represent the public interest in the improvement of personnel;
  2. To advise the Sheriff of Buncombe County concerning personnel administration, including minimum standards of employment established by the Criminal Justice and Training and Standards Council, and the methods used to publicize vacancies;
  3. To make any investigations which it may consider desirable concerning the administration of personnel in the Department;
  4. To advise the Sheriff on such personnel rules as he shall establish;
  5. To hear appeals, receive evidence, determine facts and make recommendations to the Sheriff in case of employee appeals of suspension, demotion and dismissal and/or dismissal, and to determine and establish a rotating board for hiring and promotions.