Most of Mebane city council’s Monday night monthly meeting was taken up by the formal certification of election results and swearing in of one returning and two new council members.

Tim Bradley, who has served for 28 years (seven consecutive terms), was sworn in for his eighth term Monday night.  Council members later elevated him to the post of mayor pro tem, a largely ceremonial honor except when he must step in to preside in the absence of mayor Ed Hooks.

Mebane city clerk Stephanie Shaw swears in Tim Bradley, the lead vote-getter in the 2021 election, to his eighth term on the city council.

Meanwhile, council newcomers Jonathan White and Montrena Hadley were also sworn in, with members of their respective families assisting.  Both candidates were successful in their first runs for public office.  Hadley had also served as a city planner for the city before leaving the city’s employ in 2020.

Jonathan White’s wife Stephanie holds the Bible as city clerk Stephanie Shaw administers the oath of office.  With White are other members of his family.
District court judge Larry Brown prepares to administer the oath of office to Montrena Hadley as city clerk Stephanie Shaw holds the Bible. Among family present for Hadley’s swearing in were husband Michael, daughter Nina, and her mother, who serves on the Magnolia town council, in Hadley’s hometown in Duplin County.

White was the runner-up to Bradley, according to official vote total lists by city clerk Stephanie Shaw at the beginning of the meeting.  In the two-county area (Alamance & Orange) which Mebane straddles, Bradley had 986 votes; White had 950; and Hadley had 853.

[Editor’s Note: according to tallies from the respective boards of election in each county, Katie Burkholder had 725 votes; Charles Lopez had 702; and Roger Parker had 381.]

Shaw swore in Bradley and White; Alamance County district court judge Larry Brown swore in Hadley, also taking the opportunity to highlight the “historic occasion” of Hadley’s seating as the “first African American woman” elected to the Mebane city council.

Montrena Hadley (left) and Jonathan White (right) took their seats at the dais in place of Jill Auditori and Everette Greene. (Councilmen Tim Bradley and Sean Ewing are the left and right, outside the picture, respectively.)

The new council then took a few minutes to honor the departing members, Jill Auditori and Everette Greene, neither of whom sought re-election.  “Both have been tremendously dedicated,” said Hooks in presenting the two with honorary certificates as well as an artistic brick-like replica of the city’s logo produced by a local artist.

Mebane mayor Ed Hooks reads the commendation certificates for Jill Auditori and Everette Greene, 12- and 16-year veterans of the city council, who did not seek re-election in 2021.

Greene said he had appreciated the respect that each member of the council had shown to each other.  Greene had been a councilman for 16 years and chairman of the city’s planning board for decades prior to that.  Hooks tallied 35 years of service to the city.

Greene likened Mebane as no longer a “bedroom community,” but one which had grown to be a “living room community,” as the city has grown into the second largest – surpassing Graham as second to Burlington, according to the most recent U.S. Census.

For her part, Auditor said it had been a “true honor and privilege” to serve for 12 years on the council, as she teared up near the conclusion of the ceremony.

She linked arms with Greene as the two strode out the council chambers to a standing ovation from audience members.


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