Rex Stainback became an official member of Roanoke Rapids City Council Tuesday night after district court Judge Turner Stephenson administered the oath of office.

Stainback stood with his wife Terri who held the Bible as he took the oath.

Stephenson told council after the oath was administered, “Council couldn’t have picked someone who knows as much about Roanoke Rapids as Rex Stainback. You made a good choice.”

Stainback, who is filling the unexpired term of District 1 Councilman Ernest C. Bobbitt, who announced his resignation last month, said, “I’m very humbled that council appointed me. There’s going to be a learning curve and I certainly embrace that challenge and I promise to use reason and good common sense.”

Stainback has been a law enforcement officer for the past 42 years and currently serves as a school resource officer at Roanoke Rapids High School.

Councilman Wayne Smith last month made the motion to appoint Stainback to Bobbitt’s seat.

Prior to elected office, Bobbitt served in the United States Marine Corps followed by a 31-year career with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department before retiring as chief in 2002. 

In 2003, he was first elected to city council to represent District 1 and was currently serving his fifth consecutive term in elected office before deciding to step down.