Town Board Bids Farewell to Campbell, Welcomes Justus

The December Town Board meeting on Tuesday evening felt momentous. Mayor Rusty Knox and the Town Commissioners gathered on the dais around outgoing commissioner Jane Campbell. The mood in the room was celebratory, but somber. The people on the dais and in the crowd were going to miss working and serving with Jane. Those feelings permeated the room.

After opening business and year-end reports, Mayor Knox took a deep breath and launched into the event everyone in the crowded room had been anticipating. The Town Board was about to pay tribute to a deeply admired public servant.

As he began his remarks, Knox admitted that he was known for going off script in sometimes colorful ways, but that for this occasion he was going to try to stay inside the lines of his prepared remarks to adequately convey the honor of serving alongside outgoing Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tempore Jane Campbell.

Knox recalled the 2017 election, when he along with Jane and Commissioner Autumn Michael had been elected to a town government comprising a new mayor and four first-term commissioners. “Everyone was new,” Knox recalled, “and it was kind of a scary time.”

However, even as a rookie commissioner, Jane drew on 26 years of military experience in the United States Navy, providing unmitigated tenacity, efficiency, and a depth of experience that was invaluable in navigating their new public roles.

Knox specifically highlighted Jane’s advocacy on behalf of affordable housing, her thoughtful work on transportation issues with the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, and her outstanding service to Veterans through her work with the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission.

Knox shared a litany of Jane’s strengths: efficiency, work ethic, teamwork, reliability. “She values her community. She shows up. Jane has attended just about every event in her 6-year tenure. She never missed a meeting, either in person or virtual. She is someone you can count on when duty calls,” Knox said with admiration. He added that her work for the town will long be felt and remembered, and that the town is a better place because of Jane.

Autumn Rierson Michael, who has also served alongside Jane for the past six years, added to Knox’s remarks with a series of adjectives that she associates with Jane. “Jane exemplifies integrity in every single action,” said Michael, “from putting on her shoes to serving this town.”

According to Michael, leadership and the willingness to mentor others are some of Jane’s essential traits. “One day she called me and told me bluntly, ‘Autumn, never give away your power.’ It was perhaps the most impactful leadership advice I’ve ever been given. I’m grateful that Jane is willing to be a leader, but also that she is willing to teach others how to lead,” said Michael.

Jane’s quiet sense of humor is one of her great, but lesser-known gifts. “Jane’s humor makes the hard stuff slightly easier,” said Michael. Finally, Michael highlighted Jane’s laser focus on affordable housing and her ability to continually bring the town’s attention back to those with the most needs in our community. Finally, Michael said directly to Jane, “You have such a tremendous servant heart for others.”

Commissioner Tracy Mattison Brandon first experienced Jane’s servant heart when the two women served together on the Homelessness Task Force and Room in the Inn. Brandon addressed Jane directly, saying, “I’m so glad that you chose to run, and that the people of Davidson had faith in your ability to be not just a good Commissioner, but an outstanding Commissioner.” Brandon shared that she is most impressed by “Jane’s brain,” her rock-solid memory. “She seems to remember everything and everyone. She remembers things about other people that they don’t remember about themselves.” The room laughed loudly in agreement.

Brandon noted Jane’s dedication to documenting every town event, capturing memorable photographs with her trained eye and excellent attention to detail. The only problem was, Brandon said, “Every time Jane needed to be in the picture, she was too busy trying to take the picture.”

Commissioner Ryan Fay promised he would stay on script and try to retain his composure during his heartfelt remarks. Through slightly misted eyes, Fay recalled that when he was first campaigning for Town Commissioner, he was impressed and a little intimidated by a few of the candidates who seemed to have deep historical knowledge of the town. He was most intimidated by a certain Davidson alumnus and former Naval Officer named Jane Campbell. After Fay shared with Jane that he was a huge U.S. history buff and expressed genuine interest in her career, Jane quietly shared a photograph taken with then-President George W. Bush; Fay couldn’t help but be awed by Jane’s resume and experience.

Fay’s admiration for Jane became even stronger after he came to know her more personally. She became one of his most steadfast friends. “She will always take my calls; she will pick up my kids from school; she is so much a part of my family that my kids call her aunt Jane and her wife aunt Heather,” he beamed. Fay added that while Jane may be stepping down, she is not stepping away.

Commissioner Matthew Dellinger summarized the recurring theme of Jane’s consistency and selflessness. Dellinger reiterated that every one of the commissioners is looking forward to seeing how Jane’s devotion to serving others will continue in new ways. “You will always be around for this town, for your college, for your friends, for everyone you encounter, with selfless devotion,” he concluded.

When the floor was handed to Jane, true to form, she was taciturn, choosing instead to share 15 minutes of her own stunning photographs documenting six years of the events, experiences, and people of the town she loves and serves. The slide show is embedded here, and everyone is strongly encouraged to watch it in full, with tissues in hand.

Mayor Knox presented Jane with a framed photograph of her beloved college campus, a gift from Town Staff. He and the commissioners subsequently presented a framed “adaptive reuse” of a bright red Town of Davidson logo that had previously hung in the former Town Hall Building.

After a break for the crowd to mingle, Knox reconvened the meeting for the swearing in of the new commissioners.

First, Town Clerk Betsy Shores administered the oath of office to Rusty Knox as incoming Mayor of Davidson. Then Mayor Knox administered the oath of office to each of the new commissioners: Tracy Mattison Brandon, Matthew Dellinger, Ryan Fay, first-time Commissioner Steve Justus, and Autumn Rierson Michael. The commissioners were joined at the front of the room during their swearing in by their family members. Autumn Rierson Michael was elected by the commissioners to serve as Davidson’s new Mayor Pro Tempore.