▁of ▁neighbor ing ▁Mc D ow ell ▁County , ▁where ▁he ▁previously ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁county ▁commission er . ▁Dob son ▁opt ed ▁not ▁to ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁State ▁Labor ▁Commission er . ▁ ▁Law ▁and ▁government ▁The ▁county ▁is ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁five - member ▁Board ▁of ▁County ▁Commission ers ▁who ▁are ▁elected ▁to ▁two ▁or ▁four - year ▁terms , ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁number ▁and ▁percentage ▁of ▁votes ▁they ▁receive ▁when ▁elected . ▁The ▁current ▁members ▁are ▁Mar tha ▁H icks , ▁a ▁retired ▁bank er ; ▁Wood ▁Hall ▁Young ▁Jr , ▁a ▁retired ▁employee ▁of ▁A very ▁County ▁School s ; ▁Tim ▁Phill ips , ▁a ▁retired ▁employee ▁of ▁Mountain ▁Electric ; ▁Bla ke ▁V ance , ▁a ▁financial ▁planning ▁and ▁ins urance ▁special ist ▁and ▁Dennis ▁Ald ridge . ▁ ▁A very ▁County ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁regional ▁High ▁Country ▁Council ▁of ▁Govern ments . ▁The ▁county ▁commission ers ▁appoint ▁a ▁county ▁manager ▁to ▁over see ▁day - to - day ▁operations ▁of ▁county ▁government ▁of ▁all ▁depart ments ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁controlled ▁by ▁an ▁elected ▁head . ▁The ▁current ▁county ▁manager ▁position ▁is ▁filled ▁by ▁Phill ip ▁Bar rier , ▁the ▁county ' s ▁previous ▁Tax ▁Ass essor - Collect or . ▁Fin ance ▁officer ▁is ▁currently ▁vac ant . ▁The ▁board ▁of ▁commission ers ▁also ▁appoint s ▁qualified ▁citiz en ▁applic ants ▁to ▁various ▁bo ards ▁and ▁comm itte es , ▁such ▁as ▁business ▁and ▁economic ▁development , ▁social ▁service