HAMLET— A former mayor and council member could return to the city’s governing board.
Abbie Covington has formally expressed interest in filling the position left vacant by Terry Moore, who resigned last week.
City Manager Jonathan Blanton announced Covington’s interest in a press release issued Wednesday, saying that she submitted her message of intent on Tuesday.
“I am seriously interested in the position…I think that going back to days of sounder practices would resonate with the public,” Covington reportedly said in her message.
Covington was first elected to the City Council in the early 1970s and served as mayor for a decade during the late ‘80s and ‘90s. Following her tenure as mayor, she returned to the council until 2013.
Blanton said the council would be hard-pressed to find a candidate more qualified than Covington.
However, he encourages anyone interested in the seat to let him or any council member know, adding that we would prefer it expressed in writing.
The council will meet at 5 p.m. March 6 to discuss filling the seat and Blanton expects the chosen candidate to be sworn in at the regular monthly meeting on March 10.
A budget meeting originally planned for March 6 will be postponed until the new member is in place, Blanton said.
The term will be for the better part of four years, as Moore was just sworn in following November’s election.
Moore was censured by the council Feb. 11 for violating the city’s code of ethics. (Read here for details of the censure.)
He verbally resigned during closed session and submitted in writing the following day.
Blanton had previously said the council would vote to accept the resignation in March, but after review of the meeting said the council voted to accept it upon written receipt.
This is the third time within a year the council will have to appoint a member.
Maurice Stuart was one of several candidates — including Moore — to apply for the seat left open by the resignation of David Lindsey. He was sworn in last March.
The late Joe Robinson was appointed outright by the City Council the same night Johnathan Buie resigned in June. He passed away in August.
