Gibsonville aldermen appear to be satisfied to continue on until the November municipal elections without filling the seat of longtime mayor Lenny Williams, who retired effective January 26.
Williams, now 91, had announced his retirement to coincide with the day after his 91st birthday. He had served as the town’s mayor for 31 years, plus eight earlier years as an alderman on the town board.
For Monday night’s meeting, the dais had been compressed by one seat from the left side, with mayor pro tem Mark Shepherd seated in the center and presiding.
Asked about the issue of whether the board would likely appoint a mayor and then fill a vacant board seat – if, for instance, Shepherd were elevated to the mayor’s post – Shepherd said he felt that the board would likely continue on with five members, allowing voters to decide who should be mayor in November.
If, in fact, Shepherd were to run for the remaining two years left on Williams’ term, it would open his own board seat for an election in November, also for a partial, two-year term.
Meanwhile, aldermen Paul Dean and Bryant Crisp as up for re-election this November, as well.
Asked of his interest in seeking the mayor’s seat, Shepherd said he was undecided.
Haw River won’t have election for mayor
Meanwhile, in Haw River, officials there had thought the remaining two-year term of former mayor Kelly Allen, who was appointed to the board of commissioners, would be on the November ballot.
Town council members last month voted to elevate mayor pro tem Lee Lovette to the mayor’s chair.
Customarily, or at least in most instances, when elected officials in North Carolina die or resign before completing their term, state law requires that their successor be on the ballot at the next election, which for municipalities would be this coming November.
The initial election is often for two years, or the remaining portion of the official’s term, with a return to the customary term (typically four years for council seats) the following election.
But Haw River’s town attorney, Charlie Davis, told The Alamance News this week that officials with the State Board of Elections have informed the municipality that based on the wording in the town’s charter, there will not be an election this fall for mayor.
Haw River’s charter does not provide for partial terms, and so Lovette’s elevation to mayor will be effective through the end of Allen’s original term, until the November 2027 election.
Specifically, Haw River’s charter specifies that for both council members and mayor, “A vacancy . . . shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment [by the council].”
Meanwhile, Lovette’s thus far unfilled council seat will be on the ballot this fall, as will that of councilman Shawn Riggan, who was first elected in 2021.
