Board welcomes new Cabarrus commissioner; elects leadership

Published on December 15, 2025

Ian Patrick was officially sworn in as a Cabarrus County Commissioner on Monday. He joins Jeff Jones, Laura Lindsey, Larry Pittman and Kenny Wortman on the five-person board.

In an organizational meeting held after the swearing in and prior to start the December Regular Meeting, commissioners elected Laura Blackwell Lindsey as chair. Patrick was elected vice-chairman.

Patrick previously served on the Harrisburg Town Council from 2019 to 2023. In March 2024, the Council reappointed him to a vacant seat upon the recommendation of Mayor Jennifer Teague. Teague swore him in on Monday night.

He has served as a member of the American Institute of Architects, the United States Green Building Council, the Board of Directors for the Construction Professionals Network and the Chair of the Town of Harrisburg Board of Adjustment. He has also served as an alternate representative for the Centralina Regional Council. He is a current member of the Cabarrus Chamber and the North Carolina Economic Development Association.

Patrick and his wife, Erin, have two children and own an architecture firm. He has resided in the Harrisburg area since his time at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

After the passing of Commissioner Lynn Shue in November, the Cabarrus County Republican Party Executive Committee recommended Patrick to fill the seat. Per state statute, the board had to consult with the committee, which had 30 days to recommend a replacement.

With the recommendation received, commissioners were required to appoint the nominee to serve the remainder of the term, which runs through November 2026.

Patrick said he’s “here to listen to begin with, so I’ll only offer the following … I understand I have to fill the shoes of a serious and impressive public servant, Mr. Lynn Shue, who served this county and her people for decades and I’m honored for that,” Patrick said, before suggesting a naming opportunity for a future building to honor Shue’s legacy.

“I hope to serve the people of Cabarrus County with honor and integrity,” he added.

Lindsey said she is “honored and humbled” to be selected as chair. “I look forward to 2026 and I’m very hopeful that we can work for the good of the Cabarrus County citizens.”

Lindsey has been a Cabarrus County resident for more than 23 years. She is married to Kyle Lindsey and has two sons, Brody and Ryder Blackwell, and a daughter, Aida Lindsey. 

She has worked at Atrium Health for 15 years and served on the Cabarrus County Board of Education prior to joining the Board of Commissioners in December 2024.

The new leadership takes over in the middle of the fiscal year, as commissioners prepare to begin budget discussions early in the new calendar year. The board’s annual budget retreat is scheduled for Feb. 27 and 28, 2026.

Residents can view Monday’s Regular Meeting and all commissioner meetings on the Cabarrus County livestream at cabarruscounty.us, on YouTube (@CabarrusCounty) and on CabCo TV (Spectrum Cable Channel 22).