Historic District chairman to resign
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on September 5, 2018 5:50 AM
Goldsboro Historic District Commission chairman Zach Lilly will step down from his post today, he announced before the city council Tuesday evening.
Lilly, the subject of an investigation following concerns of his conduct on the board, made the announcement after city attorney Ron Lawrence recommended Lilly be removed from his position as chairman.
Lilly announced his departure from the commission during the council's regular meeting Tuesday.
"I am guilty of putting my service to the city of Goldsboro before the people that I love," he said. "Therefore, I would like to make a public announcement saying that tomorrow will be my last Historic Commission meeting."
Lilly then left the council chambers.
The announcement comes after weeks of controversy over Lilly's interactions with other members of the commission. During a council work session Aug. 20, Councilman Antonio Williams played a recording of Lilly berating fellow commission member Ravonda Jacobs during a commission meeting.
In the recording, Lilly is heard raising his voice at Jacobs and criticizing her for speaking to the city council about the commission's priorities.
Jacobs also accused Lilly of acting in a discriminating manner and attempting to close off membership in the commission, after Lilly proposed an amendment to the commission's bylaws which would have required members to live in the historic district.
On Aug. 20, following complaints from Jacobs, other commission members and members of the community, the city council directed Lawrence to conduct an investigation into the commission to determine if anything illegal or unethical had taken place which would warrant action by the council. Lawrence also already attends every Historic District Commission meeting.
On Tuesday, Lawrence returned the results of the investigation, which involved listening to tapes of the meetings, reviewing meeting minutes and emails between commission members and the city council and reviewing applicable law.
Lawrence said during the council's work session that he did not find any indication that Lilly had acted in a discriminatory way or that anything illegal or unethical had occurred.
Lawrence did, however, say that the commission meetings had become "controversial" and marred by personal grievances.
"There do appear to be personal issues between people on the board that have spilled over into the meetings. I think that's unnecessary," Lawrence said. "I think that some of the direction of the Historic District Commission has not gone in the direction it was originally intended."
Lawrence recommended that Lilly either step down as the commission's chairman or that the commission vote to remove him -- a suggestion which Mayor Chuck Allen made during the August work session.
Williams said the council should take it a step further and made a motion to remove Lilly from the commission entirely. The council did not vote on the recommendation, after Williams' motion failed to gain support from the council.
Councilman Bevan Foster, who made the same motion at the Aug. 20 work session, was not in attendance. Foster's motion in August failed in a 5-2 vote.
Lilly did not attend the work session.
After Lilly made his announcement and the council adjourned from its regular meeting, Williams said he did not expect the council to support his motion to remove Lilly, but felt he needed to make it anyway.
"I just felt like that was the best thing I could do. I knew it was going to be kind of tough for the board to have to address that, so that's why I gave my input," Williams said.
Williams said he wants to see the next chairman smooth things out.
"I just want someone who will conduct the meetings in a fair and impartial manner, and respect everyone who's there," Williams said.
Lilly, who challenged Williams' residency in June, said he is walking away from anything political to focus on his loved ones. He said he made the decision to leave the commission around a week ago, before Lawrence presented his findings.
Lilly did, however, criticize the investigation as a whole.
"There is no reason that the Historic District Commission should be investigated by the city attorney. It's a waste of taxpayer dollars and a waste of time," Lilly said, later Tuesday night after the meeting. "The fact that this is happening, in my opinion, is pathetic."
The commission is responsible for appointing a new chairman, and the council will appoint a new member to fill Lilly's seat on the board.
The commission meets today at 5:30 p.m. in the anteroom of City Hall.