Wells to finish Fox’s term
By Yasmine Regester, Staff Writer / July 21, 2017
Dr. Goldie Wells
Council was tasked with selecting a replacement for District 2 Councilmember Jamal Fox, who announced his early resignation from the board in June. Fox has accepted a position with the City of Portland as the new Property and Business Development Manager.
Wells is a former District 2 Councilmember, serving from 2005 until she retired in 2009. Also an educator, Wells has continued to be active in the community through the organization, Concerned Citizens of Northeast Greensboro. She also helped form the Citizens for Economic and Environmental Justice or CEEJ, which led the charge to keep the White Street Landfill closed, and laid the groundwork for the development of the Renaissance Community Co-op grocery store on Phillips Avenue.
Individuals interested in filling the seat had to be District 2 residents and were asked to submit a resume and a letter of interest to the City Clerk. Four applicants: Wells, Mebane Ham, CJ Brinson, and Tim Vincent applied to complete Fox’s unexpired term which concludes in December.
Mebane Ham owns a media and communications company that works with small businesses and nonprofit groups.
CJ Brinson and Tim Vincent have also both filed to run for election to the District 2 seat.
Brinson is a youth pastor at Faith Christian Church and a former political organizer at Beloved Community Center. He is a member of Operation GSO Transparency, a grassroots organization focused on promoting transparency in the police department and city government.
“I was compelled to run by the community to run as a representative for all of District 2. I’m running on a community platform that is for the people and by the people,” said Brinson, who also noted his support of council’s pick of Wells to represent District 2.
Vincent is the director of operations at Ready For Change, an outpatient substance abuse and mental wellness treatment facility in Greensboro. He is also a former chair of the Greensboro Minimum Housing Standards Commission.
“I was raised in this district, so it’s important for me to hear every voice in my community. We have to bring viable businesses and we have to have housing. My purpose is to see us all come together to serve our community,” said Vincent.
Also filed to run is Felecia Angus, a real estate agent and broker with Sold by Smothers Realty and she is the operating manager at Southern Bajan Hospitality, a catering services company.
“I want to create transparency and be a resource for the community,” said Angus, who added that all of District 2 should be represented and not just a portion.
Jim Kee, who served as the District 2 representative from 2009-2013, has filed to run for the seat. Kee is the president and CEO of Kee Development Corporation. Kee says his platform is focused on economic development for the district.
“We have to put infrastructure in place to attract businesses because people need jobs so they can take care of their families and enjoy a good quality of life,” Kee said.
Fox first took office when he won the 2013 election, unseating the two-term incumbent Kee with 51.5 percent of the vote. Fox previously taught political science at N.C. A&T State University and holds the title as youngest person ever elected to the council. Fox was re-elected in 2015, beating out challenger Thessa Pickett.
“I would like to thank Greensboro citizens, who have gone ‘above and beyond the call of duty’ to provide their support to me over the past four years,” said Fox. “Together we had a shared goal, a shared vision of making governance work for everyone and I am honored to have labored with you in providing responsible leadership.”
During his time on council, Fox was a part of helping the district secure various economic development opportunities such as renovations to Revolution Mills on Yanceyville Street, upgrades to the Renaissance Shoppes at Phillips Avenue, and the Nealtown Connector, which connects the eastern Urban Loop to East Cone Boulevard. Union Square Campus, the joint nursing school between N.C. A&T State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Guilford Technical Community College located on Gate City Blvd also sits in District 2.
The Greensboro City Council municipal primary will take place on October 10. The top two vote getters will move forward to the Municipal General Election on November 7.
