Jerome Newton, right, takes the oath of office as mayor of Mount Olive as his daughter Tynisha Dawkins hold his Bible. Judge Ericka James, left, administered the oath during the town board’s Tuesday, Dec. 12, session. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Danny Keel, fourth from left, is sworn in as Mount Olive’s at-large commissioner by N.C. House Majority Leader John Bell, a Mount Olive area native, during the board’s Tuesday, Dec. 12, session. With Keel, from left, are his father-in-law Carroll Cook, his daughter Danielle Ficken, and his wife Tammy Keel. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Mount Olive Commissioner Barbara Kornegay, left, takes the oath as mayor pro-tem after being unanimously voted into that office during the town board’s Tuesday, Dec. 12, session. Just minutes before she had been sworn into a new term as District 3 commissioner. Administering the oath are N.C. House Majority Leader John Bell, a Mount Olive area native, and Judge Ericka James. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Outgoing Mount Olive Mayor Kenny Talton and newly elected Mayor Jerome Newton shared a similar message of unity and cooperation before a standing-room-only crowd during the Tuesday, Dec. 12, town board swearing-in ceremony.
Talton, his voice at times choked with emotion, thanked his board members, town staff and public for their work and support during his time in office. He and board members also thanked outgoing at-large Commissioner Steve Wiggins for his leadership and service.
Talton opened the meeting for the final time with the board taking action on only one item — approving an ordinance to establish a budget for federal recovery funds — before Newton and the newly elected board were sworn in.
“Let me first say thank you all for coming out this evening to celebrate with us in this reaffirming for some and a swearing in for new people,” Newton said. “We are thankful that you are here.
“We hope you will continue to support as well. This is definitely a momentous occasion, historic occasion, and as I look out — standing room only — this is really what we‘d like to see at all town hall meetings. Again, we thank you. We thank you for your support.”
Town Attorney Carroll Turner officiated the swearing-in ceremony.
Joining Newton as a newcomer on the board was Danny Keel, who was sworn in as the at-large commissioner.
Also taking their oaths were District 1 Commissioner Vicky Darden, District 2 Commissioner Delreese Simmons, District 3 Commissioner Barbara Kornegay and District 4 Commissioner Tommy Brown, all of whom were reelected during last month’s municipal election.
N.C. House Majority Leader John Bell, a Mount Olive area native, administered the oath of office to all of the commissioners, except for Simmons who was sworn in by Town Clerk Sherry Davis.
Judge Ericka James administered the oath of office to Newton.
Newton’s first official order of business as mayor was to ask for nominations for mayor pro-tem.
Brown nominated Kornegay. Keel seconded the motion that was unanimously approved.
James and Bell administered the oath of office to Kornegay as mayor pro-tem.
Newton announced that the next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8.
“That is a change from Tuesday to Monday,” he said.
The final action of the board under Talton was adoption of the grant project ordinance for the federal rescue funds.
The town has been allocated $1,458,996.60 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding of which it has received $729,498.45 thus far.
The following amounts are being appropriated:
— $328,500 for salaries for law enforcement services for the period of March 3, 2021 through March 31, 2023 and for employee bonuses.
— $806,497 for water and sewer infrastructure; purchase of equipment and updates to water meters.
— $324,000 for various general fund projects to include purchase of equipment, street paving, improvements to town hall facilities and parking lot.
Kornegay made the motion to adopt the grant project ordinance. Wiggins seconded the motion that was unanimously approved.
