Staff report
CONCORD, NC - The Concord City Council released the following statements after the passing of former Council Member Lamar Barrier. Barrier was Concordâs longest serving council member, and one of the longest serving in the state. He faithfully and diligently served the citizens of Concord as the council member for District 5 from 1985 until his retirement in 2017.
âWith the passing of my friend, Lamar Barrier, our community has lost one of our most dedicated and beloved leaders,â said Mayor Bill Dusch. âI have known and worked with Lamar for over 30 years; he truly exemplified what it means to lead with the heart of a servant. He deeply cared for his community and served the citizens of Concord with honor, integrity, and humility. To his family, I thank you for sharing him with us, we will miss him dearly.â
He just knew everybody, and everybody knew Lamar, said former Concord Mayor Scott Padgett.
Padgett and several other community leaders spoke with the Independent Tribune Wednesday, July 7, to remember the legacy and impact of former and longest-serving Concord City Council person William Lamar Barrier.
It was announced Tuesday, July 6, that Barrier, 72, had passed away at his home after being recently diagnosed with incurable chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).
Padgett, a long time colleague and friend, said Barrier s greatest legacy in the Concord community was his impact on its people.  When you are so well known in the community that peopel don t use your last name, they just say Lamar  â just think how long it takes to build that kind of reputation. Few of us will ever have that, Padgett said.Â