Zebulon town manager resigns after 9 years on the job
ZEBULON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Joe Moore has resigned as town manager for Zebulon after nine years on the job.
In a closed session Monday night, the Zebulon Board of Commissioners accepted his resignation in a 3-2 vote.
Commissioners Shannon Baxter, Quentin Miles and Amber Davis voted to accept his resignation while Commissioner Beverly Clark and Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Harrison voted against it.
"The town staff has thought very highly of Manager Moore," said Kaleb Harmon, communications director for the Town of Zebulon. "I think many people in this building would say that he's the best manager that many of us have ever had. So, we're disappointed to see him go off on to new opportunities, but we wish him all the best luck."
The specific reasons for Moore's resignation are unknown but It comes as the town continues to grow in population almost doubling from where it was in 2010, according to the U.S. Census.
In May, the town voted down the Zebulon South housing development that would've brought hundreds of homes.
"We can't speak to Zebulon South specifically at this time," Harmon said. "However, I think that all the commissioners would agree that affordable housing is an incredibly important priority for the towns that belong and that we're working with stakeholders both inside the town and across the county to identify opportunities."
Moore had been town manager since 2015.
"I just don't think we have things to support more people right now until we, like, there's more businesses coming downtown," said Pam Fowler, a longtime Zebulon resident.
Fowler said she would like to see more housing for seniors but first, the town needs better infrastructure.
"I think we need schools. I think we need restaurants," Fowler said. "More retail downtown and some, like, I think of towns like Wendell is having more things come in that area, like Publix and different grocery stores and Wake Forest has all kinds of things like that. And we don't yet, we don't have a hotel you know, there's nothing here for people to be able to come and stay."
The Town planned to hold an emergency meeting to appoint an interim town manager. Town officials said it was too early to determine for how long an interim manager would hold that position.
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