CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former Charlotte City Council member Greg Phipps has been voted to fill the open at-large seat on Charlotte's City Council. Phipps will be sworn in on Tuesday.
The vacancy ultimately came down to Jessica Davis, a former Charlotte City Council candidate, and Phipps, a former Charlotte City Councilmember.
First, council took a roll-call vote on Davis. Four councilmembers voted for Davis to fill the open seat while six voted against her. Then, Councilman Matt Newton raised questions about the voting process, urging council to hold a Davis versus Phipps vote. Four councilmembers voted for Phipps, while five voted against him.
Councilman Braxton Winston did not vote at all, noting he would not take part in the process since he disagreed with the way it was being handled.
Since neither candidate received the six votes needed to get the position, it then went to a roll-call vote for Phipps, where council was split, voting five-to-five. Winston voted no on Phipps, as he did for Davis, which forced the tie.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles stepped in as the tiebreaker, voting to approve Phipps for the role.
The change comes after former councilman James 'Smuggie' Mitchell stepped down from his position on Jan. 11. Out of the 143 people who applied for the position, 107 were eligible, according to the Charlotte City Clerk's Office. Many were found ineligible because they were not registered as democrats. The vacancy has to be filled by a Democrat since Mitchell was registered as a democrat.
The new council-member will only serve out the remainder of Mitchell's former term, until Dec. 6. The at-large seat will be open for the 2021 election at which point the community will decide who will fill the seat for a full term.
Phipps will rejoin the council during a year in which massive, multi-billion dollar plans and investments will likely be voted on.
"In the course of the year, we're dealing with some momentous initiatives that will affect the future of the city for decades," Councilman Ed Driggs, who voted for his former colleague behind the dais, said.
One of the biggest plans is the mobility plan, which includes implementing a Silver Line that could run from Belmont to Charlotte, down to Matthews, and potentially into Union County, according to the CATS website.
Those who voted for Phipps noted his knowledge and experience on transportation, noting he was chair of the transportation committee when he was a councilman.
"He has those relationships with those towns to talk about our goals and objectives in the community relating to transportation. He can do that on day one," said Councilman Malcolm Graham, who made Phipps's nomination Tuesday night.
"There's no substitute for having done the work," added Councilman Larken Egleston, who seconded the recommendation and voted for Phipps.
Phipps has promised he will not run for the at-large seat in the November election, and will only finish out what's left of Mitchell's term which runs through Dec. 6, 2021.
In response to the vote Monday, Mayor Lyles released the following statement:
"To the 143 people who took the time to apply and contact us, I remind you that filing opens in July and I encourage your continued participation in the electoral process. This was a difficult decision. As the former budget director and as the Mayor, it is essential we have someone who understands our city budget and is able to move quickly to navigate the budget process. We have our first budget workshop on Wednesday and without a solid financial foundation, we can’t create the programs and services that are essential to our citizens – particularly during this time. Jessica Davis will continue to be someone willing to serve this community and I am encouraged by her willingness to participate in the process. I hope that everyone in our community will recognize both of them as true servant leaders."