Former Town manager Jim Freeman passes away
Jul. 12—ELIZABETHTOWN — Town leaders here were saddened to learn Monday that former Town Manager James "Jim" Freeman had recently passed away.
No details were available prior to press time.
Mayor Sylvia Campbell announced the news during the town's monthly lunchtime work session on Monday.
"Jim was a very professional person and ahead of his time when it came to ideas for Elizabethtown," she said. "Our municipal building and airport terminal were built during his time here."
Freeman was hired in 1980 as Elizabethtown's first-ever town manager, and served two stints as town manager for the better part of 20 years. Part of that time came during Mayor Wallace Leinwand's terms.
"He and my dad worked together quite a bit," said Councilman Ricky Leinwand. "He was a big asset for the town."
Campbell agreed.
"He was a great town manager," she said. "He did a lot of good things here — he was a real mover and shaker."
About Freeman
He graduated from Appalachian State University on Boone with bachelor's and master's degrees in geography and urban/regional planning.
After his nearly 20 years of experience as town manager in Elizabethtown, Freeman took the same position in the city of Roxboro from 2000 to 2004.
He left Roxboro to become city manager for Havelock between 2005 and 2013, the served in several interim manager positions in places like Swansboro, Blowing Rock, Smithfield and River Bend.
The Bladen Journal will update this story when additional information becomes available.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or cvincent@bladenjournal.com.
