The Greensboro City Council unanimously selected Hugh Holston, who is currently chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, to fill the vacant at large seat on the City Council at the Tuesday, Sept. 14 virtual meeting.
After hearing via Zoom from all 20 of the 47 candidates who had nominated themselves for the open seat and wanted to speak, it didn’t take the City Council long to make a decision.
Councilmember Sharon Hightower nominated Gerry McCants shortly after the final speaker and the nomination was seconded by Councilmember Yvonne Johnson. The nomination failed on a 6-2 vote with only Hightower and Johnson voting in favor of McCants.
Councilmember Goldie Wells then, without any discussion, nominated Holston and it was seconded by Councilmember Justin Outling.
There was no discussion after the nomination, but during the roll call vote when councilmembers are not supposed to say anything except yes or no, Hightower did say that since her candidate did not win she would vote for Holston.
It is a historic appointment because when Holston is sworn into office on Tuesday, Sept. 21, for the first time the majority of the members of the Greensboro City Council will be African American.
Since there was no general discussion of the candidates other than for councilmembers to say they were impressed with the entire group, it is a given that the decision to select Holston for the seat had been made prior to the meeting. Councilmembers had heard from a number of candidates and supporters of those candidates in the days prior to the meeting and Holston had been named as one of the leading candidates.
In this type of selection process, if a candidate can line up five votes they are often elected unanimously because councilmembers don’t want to vote against someone they know they are going to have to work with in the future.
Holston is replacing former City Councilmember Michelle Kennedy who resigned to accept the position of Greensboro Department of Neighborhood Development director.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan checked with City Attorney Chuck Watts to make certain that Holston could chair the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Monday, Sept. 20 before being sworn in the following day.
So Holston is not going to get much of a break, chairing a long meeting on Monday and then serving at his first meeting as a city councilmember on Tuesday.
Shocking. Not. Already on a city board. Check. Fits all the demographics. Check. No chance for a white male. Check. Decision made before the meeting. Check. Business as usual. People need to vote in March or May or whenever our dictatorship decides they have milked their term as long as they can with their virtual meetings. Remember their a**es were at the GPAC so they aren’t too scared of Covid. Just scared of public speakers.
Oh man, these comments are going to be good. The only one already in here doesn’t even give Hugh Holston any respect for the qualifications they might have. It points out that “No chance for a white male” but doesn’t base that on any evidence, just an opinion. It points out “Fits all the demographics” implying that the candidate may not be qualified and was ONLY selected based on their “demographics”.
Hey y’all, DTF’s comment is what racism and hate looks like.
Juan this council said a longtime ago they wanted to be diverse and represent the whole city but there are only democrats on it and only 1 male no White male and no hispanics that’s not diverse or inclusive of the community if I were you I’d be mad and just leave the city and go back over or under the wall. Your choice
Correction, Will is the new face of racism and hate.
Go back over or under the wall? Really? I’m American.
Juan I’m American by birth but Southern by the grace of God As are all my relatives past and present can you say the same.
I am criticizing all of the fake processes the city of Greensboro has for open positions. Just like the job given to Michelle Kennedy. You do not come in and vote 8-0 (after one other person was nominated) without behind the scenes, backdoor deals. Mr. Holston may be well qualified. It is not his fault that the system is fake. I hope he can change it.
So that’s what the picture of diversity that the council always talked about looks like Funny to me kinda looks like all the other council members
This was not a surprise to me! This is business as usual, behind closed doors.
This PROVES that diversity is NOT want the City Council wants to achieve!!!! Now that the minority has taken over the crime rate will increase too. If they vote together they will destroy Greensboro. That is their real purpose anyway.
The Democrat Playbook. Anarchy & division is what the LEFT wants.
Since this is an elected position, why was the seat not given to the person who was runner up to Michelle Kennedy in the election? A person who actually ran a campaign and was voted for by the citizens of Greensboro.
because that person would have been Mike Barber who is a white male and, while being a Democrat, tends to be a little more conservative and business-friendly than the current council likes.
Excellent choice!
I am wondering if MS Kennedy will take her child to her new gig. She probably does not ask. Just drags the poor kid along. Bored, disrupting and annoying. Her co-workers will be thrilled.