Judge Alma Hinton tonight swore in new city Councilwoman Carol Cowen and also swore in incumbents Ernest Bobbitt and Carl Ferebee.

Hinton, after administering the oath of office to the three council members, gave Councilman Greg Lawson a handmade Christmas card from the Halifax County Boys & Girl for donating his salary to the organization.

Cowen chose to be sworn in with former city Mayor Lloyd Andrews at her side. She ran unopposed for the council seat Ed Liverman, who was honored with a resolution, vacated when he opted to not seek another term.

Bobbitt, with his wife at his side, is sworn, while Ferebee takes his oath.

After Hinton's remarks to Lawson, council, with Suetta Scarbrough absent, appointed Ferebee for another term as mayor pro tempore. “Thank you for the vote of confidence,” he said. “I will do all can to fill in for the mayor when he's not here.”

Meanwhile, Hinton praised Lawson for his decision to donate his salary. “We want to thank Greg Lawson for foregoing his salary as a council member to keep the Boys & Girls Club up and running. We sincerely thank you for all you do and recognizing how important the Boys & Girls Club is.”

Hinton brought up one concern, a window which had broken at the building, which it leases from the city. The window has been broken for sometime and there was question to whose responsibility it was to fix it.

Interim City Manager Ed Wyatt said later in the meeting an anonymous donor agreed to pay for the repairs.

Mayor Emery Doughtie reads the resolution to Liverman, who is

pictured with his wife.

In accepting the card, Lawson said, “The Boys & Girls Club is very important to the community. They are our future. Wonderful things happen there.”