Wake swears in new county commissioner - a school board member

Tara Waters, who lives in southeast Raleigh, manages the Volunteer Raleigh program at the City of Raleigh.

The Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously confirmed her appointment Tuesday evening. Waters had been nominated by Wake County Democrats last month.

She will fill the District 5 seat left open by the recent death of long-time Commissioner James West. Waters resigned from the school board after she was sworn in.

In a Wake County news release, Waters said, "I’m proud to carry on Dr. West’s legacy of lifting up our vulnerable residents and helping them gain greater access to the services they need to thrive."

In the news release, Board of Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas said, “While we miss Dr. West greatly, we feel confident that she will serve our county with the same spirit and empathy that he did.”

The school board will open up applications to fill Waters' seat later this winter. When school board members resign, the school board interviews applicants to fill the seat until the seat is up for election again. Waters' District 4 seat, which covers parts of Raleigh and southeastern Wake County, is up for election in November.

Waters came to the school board via appointment, as well.

Waters replaced outgoing Chairman Keith Sutton after Sutton was forced to resign when he moved to Warren County to become Warren County's new schools superintendent.