Williamson
appointed to
Chadbourn
council seat

After a heated discussion Tuesday night among Chadbourn Town Council members and residents over the method of appointment, council named Larry Williamson to fill the vacant seat of the late David Lawrence

Williamson, the owner of L&D Transport Service and pastor of New Life Church, said he was not present at the meeting due to illness.
He learned that he had been appointed to the council early Wednesday morning when one of the residents present at the meeting called to congratulate him.

Williamson, a lifelong resident of Chadbourn, said Wednesday that this is his first time in public office, having run unsuccessfully in previous council elections.

He said revitalization and drainage problems are among the top issues facing the town.

When asked what he would recommend in light of funding issues associated with the water infrastructure and draining issues, Williams was hesitant to respond, saying that in order to fully explore the situation he would need to take an “inside view.”

“Sitting on the outside looking in you can have one opinion but once you get in you could see things differently,” Williamson said.
Williamson thought the council made a fair decision in selecting him.

“To be selected to fill the (vacant) seat of David Lawrence, it’s a great honor,” Williamson said. “David and I were raised in the same neighborhood and I feel we shared a lot of the same values.”

Williamson was one of three Chadbourn residents who had submitted applications to the Town of Chadbourn by the March 21 deadline.
Other applicants were Mrs. Chip Graham, a business owner, and Donald Ray Bass, who ran for a seat on the council in November and was within the top 2 percent of the vote.

Councilwoman Jimmie Sue Ward and some residents present at the meeting expressed disapproval of the appointment process, explaining that they felt Bass should be appointed because he ran in the last election and was one of the top vote earners.

Ward said that the council had appointed Brian Edwards, a local insurance salesman, to fill Mayor Kenneth Waddell’s vacant council seat shortly after the election in November. Edwards, like Bass, was just a few votes short of wining.

“I am not opposed to Larry, I am opposed to the way it happened,” Ward said after the appointment.

“I do not understand why you are changing the way you make this appointment,” said one Chadbourn resident at the meeting. “I think deals have been made. I don’t think it’s right.”

Another resident said that the “Council should have the same representation it had before (Councilman Lawrence) died.”

Alban Burney addressed the council by stating that he stood in support of Williamson and a “diverse and equal Chadbourn.”

Waddell said that he had suggested the application process and that the appointment was decided on by the majority of the council.

Waddell said in his years on the board council appointments have been made in various ways, based upon what the council thought was the appropriate action at the time.

North Carolina Statute 160A-63, regarding vacancies in an elective office of a city, leaves the duties of appointment to the council with relatively little restrictions or guidelines on how the council must make the appointment.

Other issues addressed on the action agenda included a vote to decrease the speed limit from 35 mph to 20 mph on First Avenue due to the safety of children playing at the newly constructed park scheduled to open on Friday.

Peg Kinlaw, coordinator of the park building project, made the request.

In addition, the council adopted a newly re-written personnel policy that Town Manager Dottie Thomas said would clearly communicate the responsibilities of town employees.

(Nicole Cartrette, Special to The News Reporter)