Monroe County Board Elects Michelle Lincoln Mayor, David Rice Mayor Pro Tem

Monroe County commissioners voted on November 12 to elevate Michelle Lincoln to the role of county mayor and to designate David Rice as mayor pro tem, officials announced following the Board of County Commissioners meeting. The selections follow established practice in which commissioners choose the chairperson to serve as mayor by majority vote, usually at the November meeting.

Lincoln was first elected to the commission in November 2018 and brings her most recent four years of commission experience to the mayoral chair. Rice is a long serving member of the board, first elected in 2002 and reelected since 2010, whose tenure provides institutional memory at a time when the county is turning from budget debate to execution. The mayor presides over commission meetings, serves as Monroe County representative at ceremonial occasions and signs and cosigns documents with the County Clerk. The mayor pro tem fills in when the mayor is unavailable.

During the meeting commissioners also recognized outgoing Mayor Jim Scholl for his service over the past year and for leading the county through important budget conversations, particularly during the summer months. That recognition underscores the centrality of fiscal stewardship to county governance and signals continuity in priorities as new leadership takes the chair.

For Monroe County residents the change in ceremonial and procedural leadership has practical implications. The mayoralty plays a role in intergovernmental relations, public engagement and the formal signing of county decisions that affect local services, permitting and contracts. With the winter season approaching and fiscal plans moving into implementation, businesses, homeowners and municipal partners will be watching how the new mayor and mayor pro tem guide execution of the budget and communicate policy priorities.

At a broader level the appointment reflects the Board of County Commissioners emphasis on experience and steady governance. As Monroe County navigates environmental stewardship, tourism and infrastructure needs that connect local life to national and international visitors, leadership continuity at the commission level matters for effective representation and coordination.