A beautiful night in Carrboro to see a new council sworn in. We’ll be live blogblogging from the room where it happens: Carrboro Town Hall.
I’m sitting between former town council member Susan Romaine and Judge Joal Broun, who will be swearing in Mayor Barbara Foushee for her second term. Room’s packed: This is always the best, most civically joyous night of the year: celebrating council members old and new.
This is an organizational meeting to swear in new council members (Fred Joiner), swear in reelected council members (Danny Nowell, Cristobal Palmer*) and Mayor Foushee, and say goodbye to Council Member Randee Haven-Donnell, who did not seek reelection and is leaving after 20 years on council.
We kick things off, as per usual, with a poem by Liza Wolff-Francis, our town’s poet laureate. She’s discussing what she’s grateful for, including living in a place with deer, innovative teens, and knowing so many people who use their creativity, for how the sun warms the skin, for how she can use her voice, for people who dance at stop lights while seated. (This is a great poem, and I am not doing it justice.)
Judge Broun is now swearing in Mayor Barbara Foushee. Braxton Foushee is holding the Bible. (From the archives: Her first swearing in.)
Next up: Danny Nowell, who will sworn in by Rep. Allen Buansi, who will be here shortly (14 minutes, ETA). Buansi is also going to swear in Fred Joiner.
Because of this delay, we’re switching gears and heading to honoring Haven-O’Donnell. Mayor Foushee will be reading the resolution to honor Haven-O’Donnell’s 20 years of service. It’s a lengthy resolution, going through Haven O’Donnell’s lengthy tenure as a council member.
Buansi just walked in.
The resolution continues. The Green Neighborhood Grant is being renamed to the Haven O’Donnell Green Neighborhood Grant in her honor. Haven-O’Donnell will now make some remarks at the podium. They say they’ve been writing this for weeks and weeks and weeks. “After 20 years, how do you sum it up?” Compares Carrboro to Libba Cotten’s Freight Train. Talks about inspirations for her work and social activism.
(My seatmate is now reading the blogblog liveblog and this is making me slightly nervous.)
Talks about work she will continue to do. “I am proud to be a Boomer coming of age in the Woodstock nation.” Has a button on for the Poor People’s Campaign from 1968.
(The Zumba class on Carrboro’s Town Commons is sending pulsating Latin music through the room, gently.)
Haven-O’Donnell continues. Thanks Carrboro and what they’ve learned. Ends with a reference to Freight Train. A lovely speech.
We now return to swearings in for Nowell and Joiner. Buansi issues the oath, first for Nowell who returns for his second term.
Fred Joiner’s up! The first former poet laureate turned council member! Buansi issues the oath for Joiner’s first term.
Joiner’s parents, brother, wife, and daughter come up for photos. Joiner than heads back to the audience, as everyone laughs and he sits at the dais. He reflects on the poem that Liza read, thanks his family, elders and ancestors, and offers thanks and gratitude.
Nowell says its an honor to serve alongside the others on the dais. In Carrboro, he says, he agree a great deal on thing as neighbors – and in states like ours, power has been consolidated and its very hard to reach it. It’s tempting to get tired and cynical, he says, but he serves with people who don’t get tired and don’t get cynical. At recent gatherings honoring the Lees (Howard and Lillian) and Braxton Foushee, he’s reminded that it’s an honor to be even distant kin to those who have been doing the work for centuries before him. Switches gears: says he hates the Boston Celtics. Loves the coach, though, and coach says “He gets to work…” He’s very grateful to get to do this work. Excited to keep going with it. Thanks Carrboro.
Mayor Foushee pops back up to call out former electeds in the crowd: Paris Miller-Foushee (Chapel Hill), Damon Seils, Lydia Lavelle, Susan Romaine. Foushee talks about her deep admiration for her husband’s work. (He is also a former elected!) Thanks her sorors who are here in their blue and white. Thanks everyone else for coming.
Asks everyone to move forward with optimism and enthusiasm. The work truly belongs to all of us. She will continue to lead with courage.
Oooh. I closed my laptop screen but have reopened it for the election of the Mayor Pro Tem. Eliazar Arturo Posada-Orozco Jr gets the bid, unanimously.
Next up: committee assignments. They’re scanning them right now. They are now trying to figure out when the committees meet. Council Member Fray signs up for the Orange County Environmental Council. Nowell now signs up for Carrboro’s environmental council.
These will be voted on during January’s consent agenda.
That’s it! I’m out! Great meeting! Have a great night.
*Sadly sick and will not be sworn in tonight