Mebane city councilwoman Montrena Hadley received a standing ovation from her fellow council members Monday night in honor of her ongoing contributions to the city and North Carolina.
Hadley was recently bestowed with the 2025 Grady Hunter Regional Excellence Award from the Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC).
Hadley was first elected to Mebane’s city council in 2021 and reelected to a second term in this year’s general election (based on unofficial election night results). She has served as a delegate to the PTRC since 2022.
Prior to her two successful bids for elective office, becoming the first black female council member in Mebane’s history, Hadley had served as the city’s planning director from 2001 until her retirement in 2021. She began her career in local government in the 1990s with the municipal tax department in Winston-Salem and later worked for the social services departments in Forsyth and Orange counties, before moving into her capstone role with the city of Mebane.
Hadley holds a Master’s of Public Administration from N.C. Central University; a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Shaw University; and a Municipal Administration certificate from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she also attended the UNC Community Development Academy.
She is also an N.C. Certified Zoning Official.
The PTRC Regional Excellence Award is named for the late Grady Hunter, a longtime Yadkin County Commissioner and member of the Northwest Piedmont Council of Government’s board of delegates for 19 years.
Since 2001, the Grady Hunter Regional Excellence Award has been presented to a PTRC board member who demonstrates dedication and service to the region. Considerations for winners include total years of service in local government, attendance and participation in PTRC meetings and activities, and dedication to specific regional issues.
The PTRC is a local government association that is statutorily authorized to develop and implement regional decisions; providing planning and technical services to local governments; develop strategies to address long-term problems in local governments; and promote regional cooperation among its members. The association represents Alamance County and 11 other Piedmont-Triad counties.
