By Staff
Becomes first minority member
By DAN PARSONS, Staff Writer
Mitch StClair Sr. considers himself a “true sportsman.” From a young age, he has enjoyed all that the outdoor life has had to offer.
On Wednesday afternoon, StClair was sworn in at the Beaufort County Courthouse as a member of the body that governs all things outdoors in North Carolina. Appointed by state Speaker of the House Joe Hackney, StClair is the first minority to sit on the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
Rep. Arthur Williams, D-Beaufort was tasked by Hackney with finding a candidate for the seat. Before StClair was sworn into office by District Court Judge Christopher McLendon, Williams said it was a “great day, really a part of history.”
Commission Chairman Wes Seegars introduced StClair to a packed district courtroom.
The commission is responsible for all of the wildlife regulations in the state, Seegars said.
With slightly more than 200 wildlife officers, the commission oversees about 2 million acres of gameland, 600 miles of trout streams and is responsible for investigating all boating accidents in the state. It issues between 850,000 and 860,000 hunting and fishing licenses every year, Seegars said.
At a reception at a downtown Washington restaurant following the ceremony, StClair said the appointment was “an honor, number one.”