Council fills open position; city attorney retires

ASHEBORO — On the same evening the Asheboro city council members chose someone to fill the vacated seat of Mayor Joseph Trogdon Jr., they said goodbye to their first full-time city attorney.

New council member

On Feb. 5, Cam Mills was selected to serve the remainder Trogdon’s term as council member. He will be sworn in at the March 5 meeting.

Mayor Pro Temp Eddie Burks read out Mills’ background before making the motion for his appointment, which the council unanimously approved. He cited Mills’ years of experience work ing with local, county, state and federal government officials.

Mills owns Millstone Group, a public affairs consulting firm for nonprofits, campaigns and other organizations. He to Southwestern Randolph High School and graduated from Wingate University with a bachelor of science in sports management. He worked in the offices of Congressmen Richard Hudson and Dan Bishop. Currently, he is national committeeman for the North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans and sits on its national executive board.

Burks also noted Mills’ local involvement with the Asheboro Rotary Club, the America 250 NC-Randolph County Committee and the Randolph County Young Republicans. His first job was with the city’s cultural and recreation services department.

Sendoff for Sugg

Jeff Sugg served as city attorney for 25 years. 

Trogdon noted how many representatives of the countywide government and the legal community attended the meeting to honor him ahead of his retirement, including District Attorney Andy Gregson and Clerk of Superior Court Pam Hill. Former Mayors David Smith and David Jarrell were there, alongside retired City Manager John Ogburn and former Police Chiefs Ralph Norton, Mark Lineberry and Jody Williams.

Sugg singled out the police chiefs for their mentorship during his days as a patrol officer. He said those years instilled lessons in listening, observing and following through to achieve a positive outcome that he would carry into his law career.

He thanked the members of the bar and city staff, saying, “Please accept my profound gratitude for coming out tonight, letting me work with you, letting me learn from you, and letting me develop friendships with you. I’m profoundly grateful.”

Sugg, also a Southwestern Randolph High School graduate, majored in criminal justice at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He became Asheboro’s first fulltime attorney in 2000.

Assistant City Manager Trevor Nuttall said he was honored to speak on behalf of the staff, congratulating Sugg for a “job done well, but more importantly a job done right.”

“There is no one like Jeff,” Nuttall said. “There is no one as dedicated to his profession as he is. I say that with all sincerity and respect, we are incredibly lucky to have served with him for the last 25 years.”

North Carolina Representative Brian Biggs presented Sugg with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award, the state governor’s highest honor to individuals who make significant contributions to their community. The council gave him a framed painting of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan Memorial Stadium.

The council is still deciding on Sugg’s successor. A committee made up primarily of acting and former council members held a closed-door session to evaluate the applicants on Feb. 3.