Macon County Board of Commissioners
Get to Know Your County Commission
(828) 349-2020
Macon County Commissioners are elected for four year staggered terms.
Three seats (Beale, McClellan and Haven) were filled in November 2010. Two seats (Davis and Kuppers) will be filled in November, 2012. Each year at the first meeting in December the Board elects the chairman and vice-chairman for the upcoming year. Commissioners serve on and appoint various boards and committees.
The Board of Commissioners will hold one regular meeting a month effective January 1, 2011. They will meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Commissioners Board Room on the third floor of the Macon County Courthouse, 5 West Main Street, Franklin, North Carolina. Click here for the meeting schedule.
Meetings are open to the public and a public comment period is scheduled for each regular meeting. Citizens must sign up for public comment and a sign-in sheet is placed in the Board Room prior to the meeting. Comments are limited to five minutes.
Minutes are recorded in the Register of Deeds Office, a copy is on file in the County Manager’s Office and on the County’s website.
If you have any questions about the Commissioners' schedule, agenda or minutes contact
Mike Decker, Courthouse Annex, 5 West Main Street, Franklin, NC - (828) 349-2020 or email.
 James P. Tate, Representing District I
P.O.Box 1255 •
Highlands, NC 28741
(828) 526-0388
James (Jim) Tate is a sixth generation native of Macon County. In 1995, he graduated
from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia where he earned a Batchelor of Landscape Architecture degree.
Currently he owns and operates Tate Landscaping Services, Inc. in Highlands
Jim and his wife, Allison, and their two children, Ethan and Eliza reside in Highlands where they are
actively involved in various organizations in the community such as Highlands Rotary Club, Highlands Chamber of Commerce,
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Highlands United Methodist Church, and Highlands School. Jim is a 13 year member of the
Highlands Fire & Rescue Squad, currently serving as Rescue Captain.
Mr. Tate has served the Town of Highlands as past Chairman of the Land Use Committee, Appearance Commission,
Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustments. Recently, he has served as Vice-Chairman of the Macon Republican Party.
Mr. Tate is also a former employee of the Macon County Emergency Medical Services as an EMT-1 and has served on the
Macon County EMS Quality Management Committee and the Macon County Planning Board.
 Ronnie Beale, Representing District II
177 Sloan Road •
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-5044 Office • (828) 524-4168 Home
Ronnie Beale was elected in November 2006. He and his wife Cissy have three children, Cara, Evan, and Barrett, and live in the Iotla community.
Mr. Beale graduated from Franklin High School in 1973. He has owned and operated Beale Construction since 1980.
Ronnie and his family attend Trinity Assembly of God Church and are members of First Assembly of God.
Mr. Beale has been the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce "Citizens of the Year" award, and was recognized by Governor Hunt for his volunteer work as PTO president for Cowee and Iotla Elementary Schools.
He has served as past chairman of several boards including Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, Macon County Social Services, Macon County Board of Equalization and Review, Macon County Planning Board, and the North Carolina Community Foundation. He has also served on the board for REACH and served as president of the Franklin Daybreak Rotary Club. He is past master of Junaluskee Masonic Lodge and past ambassador to Shriner’s Crippled Children Hospital.
Mr. Beale’s current involvement includes serving on the board for Macon Bank, Macon County Fair, and Macon County Heritage Foundation. Ronnie represents the Board on the Department on Aging Advisory Board, Inspections/Building Committee, Law Enforcement, Courthouse Security, REACH, Macon Citizens for the Handicapped, Mental Health, Planning Board, Region A including the Advisory Council and Transportation Advisory Council, Senior Services, Schools and the WNC Caucus Board.
Kevin Corbin, Representing District II • Chairman
P.O. Box 758 •
Franklin, NC 28744
(828) 524-7799
Kevin Corbin is a Macon County native and is active in numerous civic and community
organizations. Mr. Corbin is a graduate of Franklin High School, class of 1979, an Honors Graduate of Appalachian
State University (ASU) where he majored in Marketing and Business Management, served as News Editor of the
university's "Appalachian" newspaper and interned for the university as a Public Information Officer.
Corbin also represented ASU in the North Carolina Student Legislature. He graduated from Appalachian with
a Batchelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
He has served four years on the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees, is a past Chairman of
the Macon County School Board (14 years) winning five county wide elections and currently serves on the Board
of Directors for Southwestern Community College and the Franklin Chamber of Commerce Board. In 2010 Kevin was
appointed to the Blue Cross Blue Shield NC Agents Advisory Board where he was involved in developing lower cost
plans for citizens of North Carolina. Mr. Corbin is also an active member of the Franklin Rotary.
Kevin is married to Beth and they have two children, Matt and Maggie. They are members of the Holly Springs
Baptist Church where Kevin serves as deacon. The Corbins own and operate Corbin Insurance Agency and he is a
partner in Blue Ridge Insurance Group, Inc. Mr. Corbin is also a founding member of the successful gospel
group Blue Ridge.
Ron Haven, Representing District II
17 West Palmer Street •
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 369-8086 •
Ron Haven was elected to his first term in November, 2010.
A Macon County native, Mr. Haven attended Franklin High School
and graduated with the class of 1975. Ron is married 25 years to
Maricela L.Haven homemaker, accountant and mother to their
twin sons Cody & Ryan - both in 7th grade
Ron has been involved in Real Estate and Accomodations
for over 25 years. He is the owner Haven's Budget Inn on East Palmer Street,
The Franklin Motel on West Palmer Street, The Sapphire Inn on East Main St. Franklin
and the Budget Inn of Hiawassee in Georgia.Mr. Haven is also a member of the Franklin TDC.
 Robert (Bobby) Kuppers, Representing District III • Vice Chairman
1652 Rose Creek Road •
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-1954
Robert (Bobby) Kuppers was elected in November, 2008. Bobby and wife Peggy have three daughters Amanda, Lauren and Susannah.
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He entered the Navy’s nuclear power program and served in the U.S. Submarine Force for 25 years including a tour as Commanding Officer of USS Key West (SSN 722). Upon his retirement from the Navy in 2000, he became a teacher for Macon County Schools and an assistant football coach at Franklin High School.
He and his wife are members of the Snow Hill United Methodist Church where he serves as lay leader and trustee.
Bobby represents the Board on the Airport Authority, Child & Family Council, Community Funding Pool, Planning Board, Solid Waste Authority and WNC Tomorrow. Portrait by Feagin Photography Studios, Franklin, NC, (828) 524-8556 |
