Race divides Reidsville City Council

For the last six months, the City of Reidsville has struggled to fully implement their ethics oversight committee. After the committee was put into place in January by appointment and confirmation by the Mayor and council members Doug Williams, Carolyn Blackshear, and Curtis Colewell, City Attorney Van Cheney – who was present at the January meeting – informed Mayor Sydney Clifton that the ethics committee need 4 of 5 council members to vote in favor instead of the standard 3 of 5 members need for quorum.

During the January meeting, Duann Davis, Vicki Nail, and Donald Prestage were all appointed to serve, but Cheney informed members of the council that the vote was not binding and the members of the committee could not take any action without a 4/5 vote. For the last three months, council members have discussed the ethics committee but delayed any action.

At Monday’s council meeting, the Mayor Clifton asked for a vote to reaffirm the 3 members. Councilman Doug Williams made a motion for the reappointments but the motion was no seconded. Councilwoman Carolyn Blackshear informed the council that she would like to see a minority on the board instead of the three members.

Councilman Colewell seconded her comments stating that the council agreed a long time ago that they would put minorities in place on committees whenever possible.

Blackshear also noted that she would like more time to come up with a name. Mayor Clifton express his dissatisfaction with Blackshear and Colewell for not coming prepared with names as he has repeatedly asked for nominations over the last three months.

Donald Prestage told the council he would step down from the nominations if Blackshear and Colewell were set on nominating a minority.

For the third month, no action was taken on the ethics committee.

Councilman Virgil Duckworth was absent from Monday’s council meeting.

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