With Commissioner Vernon Bryant absent from today’s board meeting, no vote on naming an appointment to fill the unexpired term of former Sheriff Jeff Frazier was taken.

The inaction by commissioners today means Chief Deputy Wes Tripp will run the sheriff’s office although he does not inherit the title of sheriff or interim sheriff.

“It is the commissioners’ decision to make the appointment,” Tripp said this afternoon. “It is my job to continue the fair, equal and just law enforcement for all of the citizens of Halifax County without compromising the integrity of the sheriff’s office.”

After coming out of closed session last week with no decision on an appointment, Chairman James Pierce said the board would only vote on the matter when all six commissioners were present.

Asked after today’s meeting if the appointment process would continue without commissioners reaching a decision, Pierce said, “Probably so until we can come to some agreement, regrettably.”

The board has not confirmed whether there is a 3-3 deadlock on the matter although Bryant last week confirmed there was dissension among board members on who should be named sheriff.

At one point during the meeting three of the people who have put their names in for consideration — James Warren, Chuck Hasty and Mark Macon — were in the boardroom.

Asked his thoughts before leaving, Warren said, “I know they have a tough decision. Hopefully they will make it.”

Macon, who also left during a break in the meeting, said, “I concur. It’s a very important decision to be made.”

Halifax County Manager Tony Brown confirmed during the break that Tripp would run the day-to-day operations of the sheriff’s office.

Commissioner Carolyn Johnson, right, presents a plaque to Ballou-Hunt.

In another matter today commissioners honored Dr. Karen Ballou-Hunt on her retirement from the county Health Department as a physician. She has spent 25 years with the county.