The Knightdale Town Council appointed one of its own to serve as mayor at their meeting on January 20, 2021. Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Day was the unanimous choice to fill the position recently vacated by the resignation of James Roberson.
Day was elected to the Town Council in 2017. During her tenure, she has participated in numerous projects and initiatives, most recently serving as facilitator for the Knightdale Police Department’s 2020 Community Policing Forum. She has also served as a liaison to the Public Safety Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Knightdale Chamber of Commerce, and the Triangle J Council of Governments. Councilor Stephen Morgan stated “that the Council looks forward to working with the new mayor. She will do an excellent job and we will be here to support her.”
Per North Carolina state law, Day will serve a partial term as mayor through December 2021. At which time, the Town of Knightdale will hold a special election for mayor to serve the remainder of the current term which expires in December 2023.
The appointment of Day as mayor created two vacancies in the elected body for her previous roles as Councilor and the Mayor Pro Tem. Land Use Review Board Chair, Latatious Morris, was appointed to fill the vacancy as Councilor. Councilor Mark Swan, who has served on the Town Council since 2013, was appointed to Mayor Pro Tem.
The Town Council also approved a resolution recognizing James Roberson for his 18 years of service as an elected official. Roberson was recently appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the NC House of Representatives.