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I understand Oak Ridge councilman Doug Nodine resigned earlier this month. What is the process for filling his seat on the council?

Mayor Ann Schneider announced during the Town Council’s March 3 meeting that Nodine had resigned earlier in the week. During the meeting, Town Manager Bill Bruce noted, “It is up to council to determine the process for filling that seat.”

According to G.S. 160A-63, “A vacancy that occurs in an elective office of a city shall be filled by appointment of the city council.”

While state law clearly states the

Doug Nodine, who was elected to Oak Ridge Town Council in November 2015 and reelected in November 2019, submitted his resignation earlier this month.

council is responsible for filling vacancies, the timing and method are not spelled out. The statute does state that whoever is appointed will serve until the next general election, regardless of when the elected council member’s term expired. The next general election is scheduled in November 2023, which is also when Nodine’s four-year term expires.

Schneider said several residents – whom she wouldn’t identify – have expressed an interest in serving on the council.

The mayor invited residents to contact her or other council members if

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they’d like to be considered as Nodine’s replacement. That’s basically the extent of what’s required of residents.

In fact, Schneider said, trying to succeed Nodine is actually simpler than applying to serve on a town committee or board, which requires completion of a volunteer application.

“The lack of process doesn’t mean it’s not taken very, very seriously,” she said. “Doug was a fantastic member of council and we need another fantastic member of council.”

Although state statute does not set a time limit for replacing a town council member, Schneider said the council may take up the issue as soon as its April 7 meeting.

“When we feel ready, we will place it on the council agenda,” she said. “It certainly behooves us to appoint someone sooner rather than later.”

During the meeting, Town Clerk Sandra Smith will ask council members for nominations for Nodine’s seat.

SCHOOL FUNDING

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facility needs she has seen firsthand at Northwest Middle, where she previously served as PTSO president, and at Northwest High School, Stallings gave several examples.

“Until a couple of weeks ago there were 12 classrooms (at the high school) without functioning ACHC units,” she said. “The principal had to get permission to have a private company service these units because we couldn’t get anyone from the county to fix them.”

In the “new” building on campus, which was constructed several years ago, Stallings said some of the windows in the classrooms are nailed shut because if they’re opened, they will fall out.

“And then when it rains, from where they added on to the older building, they did not connect the facilities properly, so a river forms in the middle of the school grounds, from one end to the other,” she said.

The septic system at the high school also frequently backs up, she added.

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Council members will then elect the new member, who will take the oath of office and start serving during the meeting, according to the mayor.

Nodine, who sailed to reelection as Oak Ridge’s top vote-getter in the November 2019 election, proved to be a contrarian on some topics. For instance, he opposed the creation of a municipal water system in Oak Ridge while other council members supported the proposal.

Nodine’s successor “could be another contrarian if we thought that person brought something special and important to council in terms of leadership and understanding of what’s best” for Oak Ridge, Schneider said.

“We always look for a broad range of opinions and input,” she noted. “We never want a ‘yes’ person.”

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“In this particular community, I think people are uneducated as to what is really happening,” Stallings said. “They know this particular area has very good teachers and is very well supported from an administrative standpoint. And yes, we are – but it does not explain the disparity in funding.”

To address the mounting school facilities’ needs, a $1.7 billion bond referendum as well as a proposal for a quarter-cent sales and use tax will be included on the ballot during the May 2022 primary election.

Stallings and Foy said they have concerns about northwest-area schools being passed over yet again, just as they were in the $300 million bond voters approved in November 2020.

“What we would get (in another bond) is just Band-Aids,” Stallings said. “Until the community stands up and demands more, yes, the excuse will always be, you’re in an affluent community.”