BELHAVEN — A Belhaven native has been appointed to the town’s Board of Aldermen.

At the Jan. 22 regular meeting of the board, Brenda Cherry was named to Alderman West seat, a position vacated when now-Mayor Ricky Credle won the mayoral election in November.

Cherry was elected to the seat from a field of five names, according to Credle.

“She’s a lifelong resident of Belhaven and has been very active in the community and other organizations,” Credle said.

Cherry said her work with area civic organizations and nonprofits prompted her to pursue the position as a way for her to give back to the community. She said she wanted to be a part of positive change for the town, and for her, part of that is sustainable economic growth.

“My children have moved out of Belhaven just because we don’t have a lot in Belhaven to do,” Cherry said. “If they had things to do, they would come back to town. We need to get the citizens back and keep the ones that we have now.”

She said encouraging and supporting small businesses is one of the ways to do that.

One of those businesses might be coming soon, according to Credle. During the January meeting, Richard Newman, owner of Newman’s Seafood in Swan Quarter, addressed the board as to his plans for the old Sea Safari Crab Plant on West Old County Road, which Newman has purchased, Credle said.

“He’s hoping to start renovating the plant at the end of this year, beginning of 2019,” Credle said. “That’s very good for the community. It’s awesome. They’re excited about it.”

Credle said the plant would supply up to 60 jobs.

Ricky Radcliffe, who holds the Alderman East seat on the board, was named mayor pro tem during the meeting. Credle was also sworn in as commissioner to the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency Board, a position previously held by former Mayor Adam O’Neal.