Silent votes elected a new mayor pro tem for the Whiteville City Council Tuesday.
Incumbent Mayor Terry Mann and fellow incumbents Jimmy Clarida and Kevin Williamson were sworn into office, along with newcomer Josh Harris. The freshman councilman led the field of five candidates for the two District one seats in the November election.
Councilwoman Helen Holden nominated Clarida for another term as mayor pro tem, but the nomination died for a lack of second. Clarida then nominated Williamson.
Only two verbals “ayes” were heard, and Holden voted “No.”
Mann noted the lack of spoken votes.
“A non-vote is the same as an aye,” he said, before declaring Williamson the winner.
The mayor pro tem fills in as the town’s leader when the mayor is unavailable or unable to fulfill the role.
Mann took the opportunity to thank outgoing Councilman Emory Worley, who was defeated by Harris.
“He is my neighbor,” Mann said, “and I can’t tell you how often he stopped me on the street and apologized for talking too much. I always told him, that’s what a good councilman does, and he was a good councilman.”
