Allen’s replacement could be named Aug. 16

Goldsboro could have a new mayor as soon as August 16, as members of the City Council approved the timeline by which they will replace former Mayor Chuck Allen during their meeting Monday evening.

Councilwoman Brandi Matthews voted against the measure.

Allen submitted his resignation June 15 to focus on his battle with brain cancer and the board formally accepted his decision June 21.

Here’s how the process will work:

• Applications will be ready Wednesday and those residents who are interested in filling the position have until July 23 at 5 p.m. to complete and submit them.

• Once the deadline passes, the City Clerk will release the names of the applicants to members of the council and the news media.

• At the board’s August 2 meeting, applicants will make their cases to the council.

• At the board’s August 16 meeting, the board will vote. (Note: Any sitting member of the council who throws his or her name into the hat will not be allowed to vote on the appointment.)

While the dates were finalized Monday, the board officially approved the process June 21.

But that vote did not come without incident.

Matthews objected to everything from the process by which Allen would be replaced to council members taking action despite the absence of Councilman Taj Polack.

During the meeting, Matthews said she wanted to delay the vote until the next council meeting to allow Polack to participate.

“I think his input and interest in this decision is needed,” she said.

Nobody seconded the motion and it was, therefore, defeated.

“I don’t see why we can’t discuss it tonight,” Councilman Bill Broadaway said. “We need to get this thing out and get this thing moving.”

“What’s the rush?” Matthews replied. “I think there needs to be some discussion before we move forward. We have a member who is absent, and not only does he represent himself, he represents all of the people in his district, and I think what he has to say matters.”

But when reached by phone after that meeting, Polack said he took no offense to the council taking action on Allen’s resignation and voting to move forward with the process to replace him while he was out of town.

He added that had he been in attendance, he would have voted with the majority to follow the same procedures used to replace former District 1 Councilman Antonio Williams.

“It’s the fair way,” he said. “It makes sense, and I would’ve supported that process.”

Polack reiterated that position Monday.

But Matthews was not only concerned about Polack’s absence.

She also said she believed city staff omitted options for replacing Allen to persuade the council and argued that “the people” should decide who fills Allen’s seat.

“I don’t think your process was fair,” she said to Councilwoman Hiawatha Jones, who was appointed by the board to fill Williams’ seat. “I don’t think this board should decide who gets to sit as mayor no more than I thought they should decide who sits in the District 1 seat. This process seems like it was already discussed, signed off on, sealed and delivered because it’s right here on my desk. Nobody discussed it with me. We have other options.”

Matthews said she supported reviewing all options before making a decision — including putting together a “nominating committee” or giving the seat to the “runner-up” in the most recent election.

“We’ve got options,” she said. “We should explore those options.”

City attorney Ron Lawrence noted that when Mayor Hal Plonk died in 2002, the council didn’t take applications or hear presentations from those who wanted to throw their names into the hat — the process that was used to fill the District 1 vacancy and will now be used to replace Allen.

Council members, at that time, simply nominated Al King — and voted to make him mayor.