Council honors retiring EMS director, longtime business owners
During the meeting, the Marion City Council issued a proclamation honoring Will Kehler, the retiring director of McDowell County Emergency Services. Mayor Steve Little read the proclamation.
On Tuesday, the Marion City Council honored McDowell County's director of emergency services as well as a couple who owned and operated a successful auto business for 40 years.
The City Council held the first regular meeting for October at the Marion Community Building.
During the meeting, city of Marion officials issued a proclamation honoring Will Kehler, the retiring director of McDowell County Emergency Services. Mayor Steve Little read the proclamation.
Kehler began his career in emergency services in 1997 as a high school EMT intern. Over the years, he developed a reputation for steady leadership, deep operational knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to the citizens of McDowell County. In 2007, he was appointed director of McDowell Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where he led the county's ambulance service and advanced pre-hospital care programs. In 2014, Kehler was appointed McDowell County Emergency Services director, assuming leadership of the county's integrated emergency response system, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Community Paramedicine, 911 Communications, 911 Addressing, Emergency Management and the Fire Marshal's Office, according to previous stories by The McDowell News.
Under Kehler's leadership, McDowell County Emergency Services grew into a highly respected regional model for integrated public safety. His work strengthened emergency preparedness, expanded community paramedicine initiatives, improved system coordination across agencies, and ensured the county remained prepared to respond to both everyday emergencies and largescale disasters.
Kehler's impact extends well beyond McDowell County. He has been an active leader at the state level, serving as chair of the North Carolina Association of EMS Administrators and helping advance professional development opportunities for EMS leaders across the state. Throughout his career, he has also deployed across the United States to assist with disaster response and recovery efforts, providing leadership and operational support during times of crisis. Kehler has consistently answered the call to serve wherever help was needed, according to the news release.
Throughout his career, Kehler has been known not only for his professional accomplishments but also for his mentorship and dedication to developing the next generation of public safety leaders. He led the county's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and led the response and recovery efforts to the devastation from Hurricane Helene. He and others with McDowell Emergency Services have been deployed to other disasters across the nation. Since 2000, he has been an instructor at McDowell Technical Community College, giving his knowledge to students.
"Now, therefore be it resolved that the Marion City Council on behalf of the people of the city of Marion hereby honors William 'Will' Kehler upon his upcoming retirement and express our sincere appreciation for 28 years of dedicated public service and leadership," reads the mayor's proclamation.
Following the resignation of County Manager Ashley Wooten, Kehler has agreed to postpone his planned retirement at the end of October and continue serving McDowell County for an additional 120 days as the interim county manager while the McDowell County Board of Commissioners conducts its search for a permanent replacement.
Citizens of the Month for October
Also on Tuesday, the City Council honored Gary and Lanetta Byrd as the Citizens of the Month for October. They were selected for this honor by Council Member Juanita Doggett.
For 40 years, Byrd's Auto Sales built an outstanding reputation of customer service through its sale of quality pre-owned automobiles. This past spring, after four decades of doing business in Marion, Morganton and Hickory, Gary and Lanetta Byrd, the owners of Byrd's Auto Sales, decided it was time to retire.
In 1986, Gary and Lanetta Byrd were ready for an adventure. By day, Gary worked a steady job at Baxter Healthcare plant's laboratory, but his true passion came alive after hours. He had a love for cars and spent his spare time meticulously detailing vehicles for franchise dealers. He decided to turn his passion for automobiles into a business of selling cars.
Gary got his dealer's license, and the couple pooled their resources to buy the first automobiles to create a starting inventory. The new business started at their home. Their driveway became the showroom, and their kitchen table became the closing desk. The Byrds said every car or truck they bought was a calculated risk and every sale was a hard-earned victory. A couple of years after they started, the couple moved their business to 1480 N. Main St. (also known as the five lane) in Marion, where it has remained ever since for 38 years, according to a previous story by The McDowell News.
But their entrepreneurial spirit didn't stop at the car lot. In 1990, they built Countryside BarB-Que Inc., which laid the groundwork for what would become a beloved restaurant in Marion known for authentic wood-smoked, country food and true Southern hospitality.
As the years went by, they expanded Byrd's Auto Sales Inc. from Marion to Hickory and Morganton. The Hickory location opened on Lenoir-Rhyne Boulevard in 1989, and it operated there for a couple of years. The Morganton location opened on Burkemont Avenue across from Western Piedmont Community College and it operated from 2007 to 2009, according to the previous story.
Simultaneously, Countryside Bar-B-Que grew into a local tradition, packed every week with regulars. In 2006, the Byrds found the new owners for Countryside Bar-B-Que in Rob Noyes and David Ditt. Gary kept working past the traditional retirement age of 62, according to the previous story.
Now, the Byrds are enjoying their retirement and are Marion's Citizens of the Month for October. Doggett presented them to the rest of the council and Mayor Steve Little gave them a certificate.
