County Administration Staff
Brent Trout, County Manager 
910-893-7555
btrout@harnett.org
Brent Trout was appointed County Manager of Harnett County on January 18, 2022. Trout has over 30 years of experience in local government administration throughout Iowa and Kansas. He served as the City Manager of the City of Topeka from September 2017 to December of 2021. He also served as the City Administrator of four other cities in Iowa: Bancroft (900), Eagle Grove (3,700), Boone (12,800) and Mason City (28,000).
He received his Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration from Drake University in 1988 and Master's Degree in Public Administration from Drake University in 1990.
Trout served 29 years in the Iowa National Guard, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in November of 2015. His time in the military service included a tour overseas in 1990 for Desert Storm and again in 2004 for Iraqi Freedom.
He served as a Board member for GO Topeka and the Greater Topeka Partnership, an economic development group, and is a former member of the Iowa City/County Managers Association. Trout currently holds membership in the North Carolina City and County Management Association (NCCCMA) and the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA). He also earned his Credentialed Manager certification from ICMA.
Trout is married and has two sons and three stepdaughters.
Coley Price, Deputy County Manager 
910-814-6005
cprice@harnett.org
Coley Price joined the Harnett County Manager’s Office in December 2018 as Assistant County Manager and was promoted to Deputy County Manager in February 2023. Price has over 25 years of experience in Local Government in the Harnett County area. Prior to his employment with Harnett County Manager’s Office, he served in various roles with the Town of Angier, and was the Town Manager from 2003 to 2018. His expertise includes a background in water and sewer distribution and collection, land use planning, and economic development.
Price serves on the Harnett County Community Foundation Board and was grants chairman in 2016 and 2017. He is a former graduate and past chairman of Leadership Harnett. Price spent 22 years as an ex-officio board member on the Angier Chamber of Commerce and 11 years on the Angier Museum Board of Directors.
He is a graduate of the Municipal and County Administration course from the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill. Price currently holds membership in the North Carolina City and County Management Association (NCCCMA) and the International City and County Management Association (ICMA).
Price was born and raised in Angier. He graduated from Harnett Central High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University.
Mike Morrow, Assistant County Manager 
910-814-6892
mmorrow@harnett.org
Morrow brings over three decades of experience and leadership in Government Administration, having served as a Land Survey Aide with Palm Beach County, Florida and an Operations Engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation.
Since 2001, he has served as the Operations and Public Works Director with the City of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In this role, Morrow’s responsibilities included the management of the City’s Facilities, Fleet, Streets and Stormwater Utility, Maintenance, Capital Construction Grants Projects and Solid Waste services.
As Assistant County Manager, Morrow oversees the County’s Board of Elections, Emergency Services, Public Library, Fleet, and Facilities departments. He also collaborates with the UNC School of Government to manage the County’s Performance Management project and serves on the Space Needs Study committee to provide input on future facility needs for County operations.
Morrow holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Management from Florida Atlantic University and a Master of Science degree in Organization Leadership and Management from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Morrow is a member of the International City and County Managers Association (ICMA), Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA), American Public Works Association (APWA), Florida Public Works Association (FPWA), and the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) Treasure Coast Chapter.
Lisa McFadden, Assistant County Manager
910-814-6383
lmcfadden@harnett.org
Lisa McFadden has been with Harnett County since 2000. She started in the Information Technology Department, transitioned to Budget Director in February 2021 and became Assistant County Manager in January 2025. McFadden oversees the county budget, capital improvements program, Veteran Services, and the Information Technology Department.
McFadden holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Jacksonville State University and earned her Master of Public Administration from University of Carolina at Pembroke. She is a graduate of the Municipal and County Administration course, Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA), and the LGFCU Fellows Leading for Results program with the UNC School of Government. She is also a Certified Budget and Evaluation Officer with the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association and a Certified Chief Information Officer with the UNC School of Government.
McFadden is a member of the International City and County Managers Association (ICMA) and North Carolina City and County Managers Association (NCCCMA). McFadden serves on the Board of Directors of Harnett County Partnership for Children, Harnett County NC-PreK Committee, Lillington Special Events Committee, and Lillington Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, which she currently chairs.
Desiree Patrick, Community Relations Director/Public Information Officer 
910-893-7555
publicinfo@harnett.org
Desiree Patrick joined the Harnett County Manager’s Office in March 2023. Patrick brings over 10 years of experience in communications, marketing, and public relations.
Prior to joining Harnett County, Patrick served as Communications and Public Relations Coordinator at Durham Technical Community College.
As Community Relations Director, Patrick will manage the County’s Public Information Office, lead internal and external communication campaigns to achieve the County’s Strategic Plan, create opportunities for public engagement, and enhance community partnerships to offer community resources for residents.
Patrick received her Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and minor in Journalism from Frostburg State University and Master of Science in Management with a Marketing Specialization from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
She is an active member of North Carolina City-County Communicators (NC3C) and City County Communicators and Marketing Association (3CMA).
Melissa Capps, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners 
910-814-6002
mdcapps@harnett.org
Melissa Capps was appointed on June 14, 2021. Melissa began her career in municipal government in 2005 with the City of Goldsboro. She graduated in 2007 from the Clerk’s Institute at the UNC School of Government and received her designation for Certified Municipal Clerk from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and UNC School of Government in 2009 and the Master Municipal Clerk Certification in 2016.
Melissa received her North Carolina Certified Municipal Clerk designation from the NC Association of Municipal Clerks in 2012 and received the North Carolina Certified County Clerk designation from the NC Association of County Clerks in 2022. Melissa is a graduate of Wayne Community College and holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business Administration.
Melissa joined the NC Association of Municipal Clerks in 2005, where she has served as the District IV Director and Recording Secretary for the Board of Directors. She was also an active member of the Association’s Program & Education, Membership, Finance, We Share Our Services, and Executive Committees. Melissa joined the NC Association of County Clerks in 2021.
Shannon Eason, Executive Assistant 
910-893-7555
season@harnett.org
Shannon Eason has been with Harnett County since 1998 and has been in the role of Executive Assistant to the County Manager since 2015.
Prior to joining the County Manager’s Office, she was the Administrative Assistant for the Harnett County Information Technology Department.
Eason is a graduate of Central Carolina Community College and holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business Administration. Eason previously served on the Harnett County RSVP Council and serves as Secretary to the Harnett County Nonprofit Funding Committee.
Eason is married with two daughters and has four granddaughters.
Charles Palocy Opioid Task Force and Management Analyst
910-893-7555
Charles (Charlie) Palocy is a retired United States Air Force Special Operations professional with over 20 years of experience in emergency management, training, and disaster response. Throughout his distinguished military career, Charlie served in multiple high-stakes roles, including as a squadron-level emergency manager and air crew instructor for the AC-130. He was deployed during several significant hurricanes, including Hurricane Charlie, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in 2004/2005, where he led critical emergency operations and provided lifesaving support.
After retiring from the Air Force in 2013, Charlie transitioned into civilian emergency management, serving in various leadership and operational roles. As an intern with the Florida State Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), Charlie contributed to the successful accreditation of multiple counties, including Santa Rosa and Madison. He also rewrote Santa Rosa County’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) to create an updated, online-accessible document.
Currently, Charlie serves as a Management Analyst and Coordinator for the Opioid Task Force at Harnett County Government. In this dual role, he is responsible for coordinating and managing various critical aspects of the Opioid Task Force, overseeing meetings, agendas, minutes, and ensuring the task force is on track to meet its strategic goals. He collaborates with task force co-chairs and key stakeholders to define priorities and activities, facilitating communication across teams and maintaining alignment with the mission.
Charlie holds a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA), a Master’s in Homeland Security/Emergency Management, and a Bachelor’s in Emergency Management. He is also a state-certified Firefighter II, Paramedic, and Instructor for Wake Technical Community College. Charlie is currently working on his Doctorate in Emergency Management with a 2026 expected graduation.