Charlotte City Council filled its open at-large seat. Here’s who they picked.

Former City Council member Greg Phipps was appointed to fill a vacant at-large seat Monday night, replacing longtime Council member James “Smuggie” Mitchell.

Mayor Vi Lyles cast the tie-breaking vote in a contentious appointment process after five Council members voted in favor of Phipps — and five voted against him.

There were just two nominees out of more than 100 eligible applicants: Phipps, who once represented District 4, and community advocate Jessica Davis.

City Council member Malcolm Graham nominated Phipps, a former federal bank regulator and chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, to fill the seat through December. Graham said Phipps told him he would not run for election this fall to remain in the seat.

“I trust Mr. Phipps on his word,” Graham said. He said Phipps would bolster cohesion on City Council, which has struggled to galvanize consensus on a range of problems throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our objective is just not to fill the seat, but it is to provide an individual who can help us with our Council being a lot more effective (and) efficient, bring us together on decision-making and who understands our rules and procedures,” Graham said.

The process unfolded much as it did in 2005. Phipps was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council after then-Mayor Pat McCrory broke the tie in Phipps’ favor.

This time, Phipps was picked from 143 applicants with experience in racial justice, air quality, transportation, homelessness and education, among other pressing local issues. Officials said 107 of the applicants were eligible to be considered, based on their age, residence in Charlotte and voter registration as a Democrat.

”It’s deja vu all over again,” Phipps told the Observer Monday night. “I’m just humbled by the support I did receive, and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work on the critical issues facing Charlotte, many of which I’m familiar with from my time on Council. I’m glad to get the opportunity to be able to follow some of them through.”

Phipps, 67, is slated to be sworn in Tuesday, followed by a formal ceremony next week. He did not participate in a voluntary candidate forum last Friday.

Phipps previously served on Council in 2005 and then from 2013-2019. He didn’t run for re-election in 2019.

“I’m seeking the position as an opportunity to lend my considerable experience, as a former council member one-year removed since retirement, to advance critical issues facing the City,” Phipps wrote in his application, which the city released last week. “Extensive planning, transportation and budget experience makes me uniquely qualified to ‘hit-the-ground running’ on day one to tackle the challenges facing Charlotte at this time.”

Past Council experience

The mayor and Council agreed on one theme Monday: It was powerful to meet so many Charlotte residents passionate about improving their community.

Lyles, who described the vote as a “difficult decision,” noted City Council’s first budget workshop is Wednesday.

“It is essential we have someone who understands our city budget and is able to move quickly to navigate the budget process,” Lyles said in a statement shortly after breaking the tie. “Without a solid financial foundation, we can’t create the programs and services that are essential to our citizens – particularly during this time. Jessica Davis will continue to be someone willing to serve this community and I am encouraged by her willingness to participate in the process.”

Council member Ed Driggs voiced his respect for Davis, who is the public information officer for the 26th Judicial District and vice chair of the Mecklenburg County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.

But Driggs said there was no “monkey business” when it came to appointing Phipps. If a newcomer was appointed, Driggs said, he or she might not feel prepared enough to make a difference until near the end of the appointment.

“I recognize that having a fresh perspective has value but really where we are right now, we are better off kind of furthering the work that we’ve been doing than trying to accommodate perhaps new initiatives,” Driggs told his colleagues.

Council member Renee Johnson praised Phipps, who she succeeded in District 4, which includes UNC Charlotte. But Johnson said selecting Phipps would be an “insult” to those who applied and couldn’t meet a rigorous prerequisite of past experience in elected office like him.

“Tonight, I’ll be supporting Jessica Davis, because I do think we need to move forward instead of regressing,” Johnson said. “I think we really need to consider what we asked the public to do.”

Council member Dimple Ajmera, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2017, described Phipps as a close-friend and her “go-to” on topics like rezoning cases and the city’s budget process. Still, Ajmera said she had to follow her conscience and vote for Davis.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for the candidates — it takes a lot of courage to put your name out there,” Ajmera said. “It has been a very difficult process to choose one candidate out of 100-plus well-qualified and passionate candidates.”

Mitchell’s resignation

Mitchell, who chaired the Council’s Workforce and Business Development Committee, announced his sudden resignation last month, just moments into the Council’s annual budget retreat. (He’s now the co-owner and president of construction management firm RJ Leeper, which contracts with the city and other public entities.)

A week later, the city began accepting applications for his replacement.

The expedited process — left up to Lyles and City Council to approve — featured a virtual forum on Friday, where Council applicants had just two minutes to share their credentials and priorities. With crucial projects on the horizon, including a massive regional transportation and mobility plan underway, City Council pushed for the compressed timeline.

Open government advocates say the Council’s approach raises transparency concerns, with the public given no formal opportunity to weigh in on candidates, the Observer reported last week.

Some council members, including Braxton Winston, said they found the hasty process frustrating.

“The City Council has not discussed the merits of the applicants that came before us,” Winston said, wishing his colleagues luck in explaining what unfolded during Monday’s strategy session to their constituents. He also expressed concern over Davis, who previously had an unsuccessful bid for the District 2 seat on City Council.

In an email to Lyles and City Council late Thursday night, Mitchell recommended the council appoint Davis, urging his former colleagues to “continue the tradition of voting for the candidate that the former City Council member recommends.”

”Jessica is a team player, and passionate about helping to improve the lives of our citizens,” Mitchell wrote in the email, which was shared with the Observer. “If Jessica is fortunate to receive your vote, I’m confident she will be 100% committed.”

The Council was ultimately split over Mitchell’s recommendation.

This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 7:24 PM.