Clay County Leadership
Dr. Robert Peck
Chairman, Clay County Commissioners
Dr. Rob Peck was elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2014. He served as Vice Chair on two separate occasions prior to being chosen as Chairman in 2018. Dr. Peck brings a forward thinking vision and commitment to success grounded in fiscal responsibility and transparent leadership.
Dr. Rob has owned and operated Advanced Spinal Correction in Hayesville since 2004. He graduated
Magna Cum Laude from Sherman College of Chiropractic, Spartanburg, SC. While there, he was a
finalist for the Milton Garfunkel Distinction Award, Sherman's highest graduating honor. Commissioner Peck received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Before enrolling in Chiropractic school, he served as an Environmental Health Specialist with the Ocean County Health Department, Toms River, NJ.
Chairman Peck is very involved in the community and has served on multiple boards and committees. He enjoys youth athletics and volunteers his time coaching soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. Dr. Peck has also volunteered and donated his services over the years to both the Hayesville and Young Harris College athletic programs. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Clay County. Dr. Rob is married to Dr. Marissa Shelton Peck and has two children, Mallory and Matthew.
Mr. Randy Nichols
Vice-Chairman, Clay County Commissioners
Randy Nichols has been serving as a County Commissioner since 2014. He is a native of Clay County and since graduating from Hayesville High School has worked in his family’s business in grading and excavating. He recently took over the running of the business, which continues to grow and contribute to local jobs under his leadership.
Mr. Nichols has been an active member of the community, having served on the Department of Transportation’s Rural Planning Organization Board to help improve county roads and infrastructure, and to plan for future traffic loads. He is a strong proponent of fiscal responsibility in the County and using tax dollars in a way that will lead to greater job creation and economic development. Randy is married to Heather Nichols and they have two children, Jensen and Jadrien.
Mr. Clay Logan
Clay County Commissioner
Commissioner Clay Logan has been a member of the Clay County Board of Commissioners since 2014.
Mr. Logan is a native of Clay County. He established his business in Brasstown in 1988 and has been a well-known proponent of maintaining the character of this community. He continues to serve on the board of the Brasstown Community Center, which is a valuable community asset where people can meet, play sports or access the internet with free WIFI. He was the originator of the widely acclaimed, “Possum Drop”, which takes place every New Year’s Eve.
Mr. Logan has serves on several boards benefiting economic development in the region, including Four Square, the TVA, Southwestern Commission, and Department of Transportation’s Rural Planning Organization. His main goal is to make Clay County the friendliest county in the State through the Commissioners’ support for improved public services. He is married to Judy Hicks Logan and has three sons, Jamie, Chris and Mike, and between them they have eight grandchildren.
Mr. Scotty Penland
Clay County Commissioner
Commissioner Scotty Penland was elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2018 for a four year term. Mr. Penland is a retired school superintendent, having served 32.5 years as Superintendent of Clay County Schools and four years as Superintendent of Cherokee Central Schools. He graduated with an A.S. degree from Young Harris College in 1973 and earned a B.S. in Biology, an M.A in Administration, and an Ed.S in Administration from Western Carolina University
Mr. Penland is a past president of the NC Superintendents Association. He has served on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council to then Speaker of the House, Thom Tillis (now a U.S Senator). Governor McCroy appointed him to the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina Center for Advancement of Teaching in 2015. Mr. Penland was presented the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine” (NC’s highest civilian honor) by Governor Jim Martin.
Over the years, he has served on many boards, (educational and civic), in Clay County. He has a deep love for Clay County and will work tirelessly for the citizens of this county. Mr. Penland grew up in Clay County and graduated from Hayesville High School. He began his career in education teaching 6th grade Math and Science. He has been married to his wife Kathy for over 37 years and has two sons, Evan and Jon Patrick Penland. They have two grandsons, Austin and Ryan.
Mr. Dwight Penland
Clay County Commissioner
Commissioner Dwight Penland is a long-time resident of Clay County. He was elected in November 2018 but is a seasoned commissioner having served in this role for three previous terms.
Mr. Penland owns and operates his own business in Clay County. He is an active citizen in the community and continuously supports the initiation of infrastructure projects in the county that will lead to more and better jobs for its citizens.
He is also a strong proponent for maintaining the Appalacian heritage of Clay County, but at the same time recognizes that in this digital age, all of its citizens should have an equal opportunity to grow and develop through better access to high quality internet and broadband. He has two children Jarrod and Jadrian and lives with his wife, Sissie.
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Mrs. Debbie Mauney
Clay County Manager/Health and Human Services Director
Debbie Mauney began her career at the Clay County Department of Social Services in 1990, serving as Director since 1997. Debbie was appointed by the Clay County Commissioners as the Clay County Health and Human Services Director in 2018 when the county consolidated Health and Human Services. This position includes the supervision of Health, Social Services, and Senior Services. Over the years, she has served on many local and regional non-profit boards including being active in the startup of many of these organizations.
Merinda Woody
County Attorney
828-389-0089
PO Box 118
Hayesville, NC 28904
Merinda Swanson Woody is a native of Clay County and maintains her law practice in Hayesville. Having graduated Valedictorian of her class from Hayesville High School in 1970, she went on to graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science in 1973. She is also a graduate of the Campbell University School of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate in 1983. Over the past 40 plus years, she has been extensively involved with government matters, having been the Clay County Director of Social
Services in the 1970s and the Cherokee County Director of Social Services and DSS Attorney in the early 1990s. In addition, she has served as the Town Attorney for Hayesville and for Andrews. She served as the County Attorney for Clay County from 1986 to 1990 and has been serving as the Clay County Attorney since December 2016.
Ms. Woody maintains a private law practice in Hayesville, where her primary emphasis is in elder law, estate planning, wills, trust, estate administration, commercial transactions and real estate. She is a leading advocate for the elderly and children and a strong proponent of good and ethical governance.
She is married to Bruce Woody and they have two sons, Brett and Barrett, who have businesses of their own in Clay County. She and Bruce have three grandchildren, Bronc, Brant and Brynlee.
Ms. Angela Shook
Register of Deeds
828-389-0087
261 Courthouse Drive, Suite 2
Hayesville, NC 28904
The Register of Deeds serves as the custodian and manager for real estate related documents as well as vital records and DD214s of the county. I am proud to be elected as your Registrar and strive to hold these duties to the utmost standards along with giving you the quality and professional public service in a friendly atmosphere. I believe public service is a public trust and it must be proven every day.
Mr. Tim Barrett
Clerk of Court
828-389-2300
261 Courthouse Drive, Suite 1
Hayesville, NC 28904
Tim Barrett grew up in Hayesville (son of Emogene S. Barrett) and graduated from Hayesville High School in 1986. In 1990, he graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He later married his high school sweetheart, Tina in 1991. They have two boys, Ethan & Luke.
Mr. Barrett worked a total of 15 years with NC Community Corrections as a Probation/Parole Officer. Ten of these years were in Winston-Salem, NC, and five years were in Clay County. He entered the
private sector as an agent with Farm Bureau Insurance for four years in 2006. In 2010, he was elected as Clerk of Superior Court for Clay County.
The Clerk’s Office is a state office and among many other statutory functions this office is responsible for all clerical and record keeping functions of the superior and district court, collector of monies for all court related cases and as the elected clerk, Mr. Barrett is the Judge of Probate. The clerk’s office is considered the hub of the judicial system and plays a vital role in the North Carolina courts.
Mr. Mark Buchanan
Sheriff
828-389-6354
PO Box 720
Hayesville, NC 28904
Sheriff Mark Buchanan was born and raised in Sylva, N.C. He grew up surrounded by the law enforcement community due to his father being the elected District Attorney in the 30th Prosecutorial District. He received his B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement in May of 1983.
Sheriff Buchanan immediately began work as a Jackson County Sheriff's Officer. He worked as a Patrol Officer, Detective, and Lt. Detective while working with this Sheriff's Office. In August of 1989 he began a career with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (N.C. SBI). He worked in many capacities with the N.C. SBI and retired in 2011 as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge over the six western most N.C. Counties.
After retiring with 30 credited years of law enforcement service from the N.C. SBI, Sheriff Buchanan maintained his training, certifications, and sworn status as a Reserve Clay County Deputy Sheriff. He and his wife of 40 years, Rhonda, have two daughters and ten grandchildren. Their family all reside in the beautiful western North Carolina mountains of Clay County.