In the wake of the death of former At-Large Greensboro City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson, the Greensboro City Council had to, at its Tuesday, Jan. 7 meeting, decide who would fill the role of Mayor Pro Tem.

 It came down to two councilmembers who sought the job – and the matter of the race of those candidates played a central role in the debate that followed.

The black candidate, District 2 City Councilmember Goldie Wells, sought and lost the vote to Greensboro’s new Mayor Pro Tem: At-large Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter.

It’s an important position on the Council because the Mayor Pro Tem does things such as preside over meetings when the mayor is absent, represents the city at events and functions the mayor can’t attend, and assists the mayor in carrying out leadership duties.

Right off the bat, during the discussion at the January 7 meeting, Wells spoke of her desire to fill the role and she was completely up front as to why she should get it over Abuzuaiter.  Johnson was a black councilmember from east Greensboro, Wells pointed out, and, if the board was serious about all of its talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, then the role of Mayor Pro Tem should be filled by a black councilmember from east Greensboro.

Wells, reading from a prepared statement, said the city had created a plan for where it wanted to be in 2040, and she added, “It provides a common touchpoint for making decisions and a consistent point of reference to manage changes in conditions in the future. We want these statements to be true in 2040. Vision One: Greensboro is the most desirable mid-sized city in America. Vision Two: Greensboro is the greenest city in the Southeast. Vision Three: Greensboro is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Vision Four: We make history. Vision Five: Greensboro is a city of inspiration and creativity where people and businesses thrive.”

Wells continued her theme.

“Let’s consider the wording of Vision Three and Vision Four,” she said. “Vision Three states that Greensboro is diverse. We commit not just to diversity, but also to inclusion, participation, and opportunity for those who live, work and go to school in Greensboro. Vision Four states that we make history. Greensboro builds on its history and continues to make history as a forward-thinking city. This council has the opportunity to contribute to the vision for 2040.”

Wells stated that Greensboro is a majority-minority city and she said she believed the city’s leadership should reflect that fact.

“Therefore, I suggest that a minority council member serve as Mayor Pro Tem to demonstrate our embrace of the vision of our city and our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusivity,” Wells told her fellow City Council members. “We can also make history because this has never been done before.”

Wells said that, if Abuzuaiter got the job, the city would no longer reflect the diversity it had when Johnson filled the role for nearly two decades.

At the meeting, it was clear Wells had the support of the other two black councilmembers on the nine-member board – Sharon Hightower and Hugh Holston.

Hightower said it made perfect sense to pick Wells for the job since she was a black female from the east side of Greensboro,

“I think it sends a statement of being inclusive and open-minded,” Hightower told the Council.

Like Wells, Hightower said Johnson was “a balance”—a balance of having a leader from west Greensboro and from east Greensboro.

The tradition of the board has been for the Mayor Pro Tem to be an at-large representative, which Abuzuaiter is, but Wells is not.

“There have been traditions we stepped away from,” Hightower said, “like the tradition of slavery, which was wrong and had to go. Let’s pull the good things out of traditions and embrace change … Why not Dr. Goldie Wells from District 2 as our Mayor Pro Tem? Why not? Instead of thinking, ‘Oh, we shouldn’t do that,’ let’s think positively. I’m not saying I dislike anyone. Marikay, you’re a wonderful individual. But I support Dr. Wells. I think she loves this community and serves it with her heart. Let’s think outside the box.”

Holston, who was also in favor of Wells getting the job, spoke next.

“This has nothing to do with the individuals,” he said. “It has to do with the work Dr. Wells has done for the community. She has led us with her sage words and advice. While tradition suggests selecting an at-large candidate, leadership can come from any council member. I support Dr. Wells’ candidacy for Mayor Pro Tem of Greensboro.”

It started to become clear at this point that the election or non-election of Wells was forming around racial lines.

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, who spoke next, said she had a “genuine fondness for Dr. Wells,” but that, as mayor, she would support Abuzuaiter, largely because tradition dictates that the Mayor Pro Tem be an at-large member who represents and serves all residents of Greensboro.

“The immediacy of the position requires someone ready to serve the entire city tomorrow,” Vaughan stated. “Dr. Wells is extremely competent and loves the city, but I believe tradition has a valid purpose in this case.”

City Councilmember Nancy Hoffman said Vaughan’s points were valid: At-large candidates are voted on by all citizens. Hoffman added that Abuzuaiter has “dedicated herself to the city for 14 years and knows every inch of it.”

Councilmember Tammy Thurm said at the meeting that some traditions are worth supporting and that this was a good tradition that should continue.  Thurm said selecting an at-large member as Mayor Pro Tem was appropriate.

Councilmember Zack Matheny said he was torn.  He may have been, but, in the end, he supported Abuzuaiter.

“This decision is difficult,” Matheny said. “Dr. Wells has served with integrity and dedication. However, I support the at-large position because it ensures representation across the entire city.”

“While this is awkward and challenging,” he added, “I believe this decision honors the city’s best interests.”

Matheny said he really hated that it came down to this discussion and said that, frankly. “It sucks.”

But I do support the at-large position because I know everywhere we go Marikay is always there. She’s accessible, she can sign checks if she needs to, and she’s run the meetings.”

Abuzuaiter finally spoke, starting by thanking the City Council members for their kind words.

“I know that I can never fill her shoes and I wouldn’t even try to, but I will certainly try to honor her and her legacy,” Abuzuaiter said,  “But if I am elected as mayor Pro Tem this evening I will keep doing the things that she would have been doing as it relates to Council.  I do want to say that, at the funeral, so many of us heard her children and her grandchildren, and there was one thing that stuck to me that almost each and every one said: Yvonne saw no color.  She didn’t care if you were black or white or brown; she would help you, and that’s the way she taught me; so I will certainly try to honor her legacy by doing the best I can.”

Before the vote was taken Hightower said that, as much as the council might try to escape the fact, the following was certainly true: “Race influences everything we do, even if we don’t want to acknowledge it. Yvonne knew this. Let’s be clear that inclusivity is vital to leadership.”

But the writing was already well on the wall, and, when the vote came Wells lost on a 3-to 5-vote along racial lines.

That was followed immediately by an 8-to-0 vote to make Abuzuaiter Greensboro’s new Mayor Pro Tem.

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