ASHEBORO – Two longtime Randolph County employees have retired this summer, diminishing the level of experience in a couple of departments.
Melissa Austin retired after 36 years in the tax department. Danny York has stepped away after 26 years in building inspections.
“We can’t replace 62 years of experience from our county,” commissioners board chairman Darrell Frye said.
Austin began in a part-time role at age 19. She ended her career as the department’s personal property and business property supervisor.
“Melissa’s work was always performed at a high level of proficiency and significantly exceeded job requirements,” tax department administrator Debra Hill said. “She accomplished the most difficult and complex assignments with minimum supervision and excellent quality.”
Hill described Austin’s persistence as one of her major assets.
“Melissa didn’t just fix a problem. She researched the root of the problem so that it would not happen again,” Hill said.
In 2014, Austin was named the Appraiser of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Assessing Officers.
Austin, who lives in Richfield, is a breast cancer survivor.
York, a 1971 Eastern Randolph High School graduate, is an Army veteran.
York is former owner of Mid State Plumbing Company and he later worked for more than a decade in Thomasville’s inspection department before his long stint with Randolph County.
“If you had a house being built, you would probably want Danny to do inspections on it because he’s going to make sure it’s right,” said David Bryant, the county’s director of building inspections.
York also did work on the historic courthouse renovation in Asheboro.
