Emails offer insight into Craven County councilors’ impasse

On November 9, 2024By Pranco

NEW BERN, NC (WITN) – Email exchanges between Councilors Rick Prill, Barbara Best and Hazel Royal have surfaced and reveal another reason why they are skipping board meetings.

Their absence has led to a stalemate in choosing someone to fill the vacant position for Ward 6 alderman and further requests for New Bern.

Seeing the division over the choice of former Mayor Dana Outlaw or former Editor Trevor Dunnell to represent Ward 6 and the councilors not attending three of the board meetings in a row raised some questions for former Councilwoman Jameesha Harris.

She says she filed a Freedom of Information Act request and was shocked to read some of the email exchanges between Councilor Prill and Councilor Royal.

“The email contains what appears to be a suggestion as the only option that if she does not show up, there could be no vote for Dana to be voted in because they do not have a quorum. says Harris.

Other emails show Prill, Best and Royal discussing which candidates they would like to have in the position.

New Bern Mayor Jeffrey Odham says he is frustrated because councilors called just minutes before the meetings started and the statements in the emails contradicted what the councilors said when confronted about their previous absences at the board meeting on October 22.

“Just the fact that they waited minutes before calling and saying they weren’t going to be there is just disrespectful,” Odham said. “Not only for our staff, but also for the citizens of the city of New Bern.”

Councilor Barbara Best and Hazel Royal released a statement about the email exchanges:

“I cast my vote for Darlene Brown and I remain true to my vote as mayor. Odham, Councilor Aster and Councilor Kinsey remain steadfast in their vote for Dana Outlaw…I will not be part of anything that I know is being planned by other members of the BOA, that I know is not good!”, says Best.

“Every voice has the right to be heard and every voice has value,” Royal said.

The next board meeting is on Tuesday, November 12 and is open to the public.