Surry County’s Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Jan. 4 to reelect Robert Elliott as chairman.

Newly elected Dendron District Supervisor Amy Drewry joined Surry District Supervisor Timothy Calhoun in casting dissenting votes.

Drewry, who’d nominated Carsley District Supervisor Breyon Pierce for the chairmanship, urged her fellow board members to return to the rotation schedule in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said was intended to “allow all members to serve and to take politics out of the appointment.” Pierce, however, declined the nomination and instead nominated Elliott.

Calhoun then nominated himself for chairman but drew only his own and Drewry’s votes.

Elliott, who serves as pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church in neighboring Prince George County, was first elected as a supervisor in 2019 and reelected in 2023. He served as chairman from 2020 through 2021 and again in 2023.

Calhoun then nominated himself for vice chairman but again drew only his own and Drewry’s votes. Newly elected Bacon’s Castle District Supervisor Walter Hardy then nominated Pierce, who this time did not decline the nomination and secured the role with his own, Hardy’s and Elliott’s votes.

In a change from past years, the supervisors voted unanimously to move their monthly meetings from the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. to the same day at 6 p.m.

The board’s February meeting will be rescheduled for the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. due to a conflict with the Virginia General Assembly’s local government day.