Governor Roy Cooper will appoint Sanford small business owner Lisa Mathis to the N.C. Board of Transportation, multiple sources have confirmed to the Rant.

The Board of Transportation consists of 19 members from across the state who “make decisions about transportation priorities,” according to its website.  Mathis, a Democrat who ran in 2018 against Republican state Rep. John Sauls for the District 51 seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives, will represent Division 8, which encompasses Lee, Harnett, Chatham, Moore, Montgomery, Richmond, Hoke, and Scotland counties.

The seat is currently held by Patrick Molamphey of Richmond County, who was appointed by former Governor Pat McCrory in 2015. The position is relatively sought after, as it gives communities an opportunity to voice their specific transportation issues and needs at the state level. Lee County has not had a board member for at least 40 years.

Mathis is the owner of downtown Sanford’s ArtStudio, although the business has been on somewhat of a hiatus since late 2018 as it seeks a new location.

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