Councilman secures occupancy permit
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on June 21, 2018 5:50 AM
Councilman Antonio Williams
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Pictured is the 143 N. Center St. property owned by Councilman Antonio Williams.
Goldsboro Councilman Antonio Williams received a certificate of occupancy for his property at 143 N. Center St., shortly after Goldsboro officials sent him a letter stating that a resident complained of him living inside the building illegally.
When asked if he is now living at the Center Street property, Williams refused to answer.
"I am very pleased with the outcome of getting the CO today," he said. "I have no other comment on anything regarding this matter."
Williams received the permit Wednesday, according to the city's electronic permit lookup service, available at http://energov-web.ci.goldsboro.nc.us/CAP/Site/Public/Main.
That came two days after Zach Lilly, the same Goldsboro resident who recently challenged Williams' residency in the district he represents, claimed to the city that Williams was living illegally out of the Center Street property.
The complaint prompted the city to send Williams a letter giving him 10 days to speak with city inspectors to finalize inspections that had not been completed yet, said City Manager Scott Stevens.
Williams said in May that he intended to turn his Center Street property into his permanent residence, and had secured the permits necessary to do so.
On Tuesday, Goldsboro Chief Building Inspector Allen Anderson confirmed that Williams had the necessary permits to convert the property into a residence, but had not yet received a certificate of occupancy legally allowing him to live there. By Wednesday, Williams had been granted the certificate.
The change in address comes amid an ongoing controversy over Williams' residency, after the City Council received an anonymous letter in April alleging that Williams had not been residing in his district.
At the time, Williams said he was living with elderly relatives within his district, but refused to disclose the address, citing concern for his relatives' safety.
In May, Williams changed the address on his voter registration to that of his Center Street property, before he had received the certificate of occupancy. Stevens said that changing the address on his voter registration was not, by itself, enough to prove that he had actually been living at the residence.
Williams and Lilly are slated to appear before the Wayne County Board of Elections at its meeting July 10, when the board will hold a preliminary voter challenge hearing on Williams' residency.
Both Williams and Lilly will be expected to present evidence in support of their side.