Mebane city council members honored retiring city manager Chris Rollins at their latest meeting Monday night.
Rollins was also bestowed with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is the state’s highest civilian award and is reserved for people with a proven record of extraordinary public service, by state senator Amy Galey.
Mebane mayor Ed Hooks also presented Rollins with a wood carving bearing the city’s logo and a framed resolution, recognizing Rollins’ commitment to public service and dedication to improving his community.
Rollins has worked in Mebane for the past 11 years, initially as the assistant city manager, and later succeeding former city manager David Cheek in early 2021.
Rollins’ retirement caps a career spanning 35 years in local government. He had previously served 23 ½ years as the city manager and the assistant city manager in Graham.
Rollins says he’s planning to travel and spend more time with his family. Rollins’ last day of work is currently scheduled for July 23, Mebane city officials confirmed Monday for The Alamance News.
Meanwhile, Rollins’ wife, Andrea Rollins, has also announced her intention to retire as the vice president of business and finance and chief finance officer at Alamance Community College, where she has served in that role since September 2022.
Andrea Rollins’ last day of work at the community college is scheduled for July 12, ACC officials confirmed for the newspaper Monday.
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She had previously served seven years as Alamance County’s budget and management director, developing the annual county budgets, overseeing capital budgets and capital plans, developing performance management plans, among other responsibilities.
A certified public accountant since 1993, Andrea Rollins had previously worked six years as a staff accountant with a Burlington CPA firm, and 18 years as vice president of finance and administration with Elon Homes and Schools for Children.
After entering to a closed session at 11:53 to discuss the hiring process for a new city manager and confer with city attorney Lawson Brown, the council members reconvened the open portion of their meeting at 12:09 a.m. and voted unanimously to appoint assistant city manager Preston Mitchell to serve as the interim city manager until a permanent successor to Chris Rollins can be hired.
Mitchell has served as Mebane’s assistant city manager since January 2021; he had previously served as Reidsville’s city manager prior to taking the number two slot in Mebane.
ACC officials have not yet announced a successor to Andrea Rollins as the community college’s CFO.
