Monroe City Council says it has ‘no confidence’ in Mayor Robert Burns
Monroe’s City Council voted Tuesday to express “no confidence” in Mayor Robert Burns, citing concerns about his leadership, communication and conduct.
The symbolic 5-2 vote followed council members’ accusations that Burns failed to notify them about legislation that made Monroe’s elections partisan, misused the city’s logo and address to share personal political views, and struggled to maintain order during meetings. Burns denied hiding information about House Bill 3 and defended his communications as compliant with city policy. Burns is a conservative supporter of President Donald Trump who’s said his mission is to make Monroe “the beacon of conservative values,” in North Carolina.
The council also voted 4-3 to remove Mayor Pro Tem David Dotson from his role and appoint council member Surluta Anthony in his place.
“This discussion is not about a single moment. This is about a pattern, one that has affected how this board functions, how we are perceived by the public… and how effectively we can govern,” said council member Franco McGee. “Tonight, it’s not about blame. It’s about accountability.”
A vote of no confidence is largely symbolic, said City Attorney Richard Long. It neither censures the mayor nor reduces or removes his authority.
What does Mayor Burns say?
Burns strongly rejected the accusation that he was aware of House Bill 3 before other council members, something he told The Charlotte Observer earlier this month.
Burns said he was on vacation with his family when he learned of the bill and that no politicians asked him for his input. He does, though, support the new law that makes elections partisan and gives him and other members another year before they have to run for reelection.
“I will continue, and will always say, I knew nothing about HB 3,” Burns said. “You can take it (or) leave it… that’s up to y’all.”
He also pushed back on claims he used city branding to promote his own views online. Burns said he has a disclaimer on his personal social media account that specifies all views are his own rather than those of the city. He also called claims that he did not properly control meetings “baseless.”
“Our citizens might question, if they can remove the freedom of speech from the mayor, they could do the same to them,” Burns said. “This is a warning to all of our citizens, regardless of what side of the aisle you are on. This is wrong.”
This isn’t the first time Burns has faced criticism from other council members. Last year, Monroe City Council members voted to censure Burns after he issued a proclamation commemorating the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Why change the mayor pro tem?
Council members Julie Thompson and James Kerr placed the vote of no-confidence in Burns and the mayor pro tem discussion on the agenda. Thompson said she did so because the council needed restructuring and balance.
Dotson said the motion to strip him of the title was a way to take pressure off the council since he and Burns tend to vote differently than other members. He said replacing him won’t change the way he votes.
“It will shield this council from scrutiny, while doing nothing to serve the citizens. Replacing me could also be seen as punishment for those who are vocal critics of HB 3,” Dotson said. “We’ve had enough of the constant fighting. The staff has had enough of the constant fighting. I’m tired. They’re tired. The citizens are tired.”
After the vote, Dotson flipped around his nameplate with his title on it.
Tuesday’s meeting got heated at times, with Dotson and Burns questioning why misconduct by Kerr was not a concern of the other council members. Burns accused Kerr of calling him an “SOB,” yelling profanities and “taunting violence” during a meeting recess last month. Kerr did not respond to the claims during the meeting.
What is House Bill 3?
House Bill 3, which is now state law, makes elections in Monroe partisan, requiring the city to hold primaries and moving the election date to even-numbered years. Some, including UNC Charlotte political science professor Eric Heberlig, see the move as a way to give Republicans more control.
Some council members said they were not consulted by lawmakers at all and were unaware of the legislation until days before it was slated for a vote.
Burns told the Observer he supports the bill because it increases transparency and lets citizens know more about who they are voting for.
This story was originally published July 8, 2025 at 6:36 PM.
