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KENANSVILLE — Bryan Miller has been Duplin County manager for eight months, making him a relative newcomer to the county. Miller grew up in Wilkes County, and previously worked in a warehouse operation in Virginia, working his way up from entry level to vice president. From there, he segued into county government, working as Caswell County manager for 10 years. He splits his time between Duplin County and Caswell County, where his daughter Emerie is still in school, and his wife Kim works as a school nurse. Miller sat down with Duplin Journal to talk about his career, the importance of quality local government, and the things he loves most about his new home in Duplin County.
Q. What made you want to pursue a career in county government?
A. I’d always taken an interest in politics and administration. I’ll tell you, what really got me interested in it is in Chesterfield County, where I lived, they had an ordinance that said if you had a boat, you had to park your boat behind the back corner of your house. For the lot that I owned, it wasn’t feasible to do that, because the lot sloped so much that I really couldn’t park a boat behind the back corner of my house. So I had to apply for a variance. And applying for the variance and going through that whole process and really understanding how that worked, and speaking to the elected official in that jurisdiction is probably what got me most interested. My neighbor at the time was also in county government, so we had a lot of conversations about county government and how it worked, what we thought was right and what we thought wasn’t.
I’ve always been the type of person that wanted to help people, regardless of what it was. So with my personal experience dealing with county government, the folks that I knew who were in county government, and my heart and passion really for helping people, serving people, led me to want to go into county government.
Q. You’ve been in Duplin County for eight months. As a newcomer, what are your impressions of the area?
A. I love Duplin County. Even though I still have a home in Caswell County, I refer to Duplin County as home. I could not be happier with the staff here in the county government. They’re well-trained, knowledgeable, they know their jobs, they care about the people in the county, and the Board of Commissioners is a very high functioning board. The board takes great pride in the county’s financial position, and making very deliberate decisions on how the county operates. Overall, I’m incredibly pleased to be here.
Q. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the county right now, especially in terms of growth and agriculture?
A. Connectivity. We’ve got to do something to improve the connectivity, whether it be internet or cell phone coverage. Doing those kind of things will enhance business prospects. If you have a business and you’re riding down the road and your cell phone drops, that’s preemptive from having businesses relocate to Duplin. Everybody in any space needs internet to just perform the basic functions of their business, like payroll and HR. There are places in Duplin where the internet is not enough that you could run a business. We’ve got to do better with the connectivity.
Q. What are some of the goals you have in mind for the county?
A. The commissioners set goals for the county. I follow through on their directives. I think that what the Board of Commissioners wants and expects for the county is for us to have a vibrant county, where both the needs of agriculture are met, as well as the needs of our residents that do not work in agriculture.
Q. On a more personal note, what do you do in your spare time?
A. I love to play golf. I love to fish. I love to spend time with my family, and of course my buddy, my dog, Winston.
Q. What’s the last book you read?
A. Forged in Crisis. It’s about different leaders throughout history and the way that their time and circumstances that they were dealing with shaped them as a leader. It’s really good.
Q. What’s your favorite eatery in Duplin County?
A. You can find me at Highway 55, the Country Squire, Duplin Winery. I really like the Filling Station. To pick a favorite, I couldn’t do that. They’re all great. The county attorney and I went to the Pizza Village in Beulaville the other day, and I would probably add that to my list.
Q. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about Duplin County?
A. The people. The residents here are wonderful. I have been met with open arms, open minds, and a willingness to help. There is no doubt in my mind that the people are Duplin County’s biggest strength. The people are truly what makes Duplin County the greatest county in North Carolina, as Commissioner Jesse Dowe often points out.
