Princeville reinstates ex-mayor

Priscilla Everette-Oates has been elected mayor of Princeville once again after a brief hiatus.

All of the incumbents for the town commission lost to challengers in Tuesday’s municipal election.

In her new term, Everette-Oates said she wants to help bring in amenities and new businesses.

“I want to bring water bills down and also bring businesses to town to lower the taxes,” she said Tuesday night.

She defeated four other challengers for the seat, including the two-term incumbent Mayor Delia Perkins.

Everette-Oates, who served as mayor from 2003 to 2005, garnered 294 votes compared to Perkins’ 207, according to unofficial tallies.

Everette-Oates said she would like the town to bring in amenities so residents don’t have to travel far for services. She wants Princeville to have a convention center, post office, gym and financial institutions. She also said town funds would be kept under close eye and spent wisely.

Everette-Oates also she she wants the town to find grants to help bring in business and assist with residents’ housing costs.

Everette-Oates said a primary reason she won was the controversy involving the former town manager that came out shortly before the election.

In September, former Town Manager Sam Knight pleaded guilty to charges he misused funds while in office. Everette-Oates had been critical of the town manager.

“I want to thank all my real supporters,” she said. “The reason why I think I won is the truth came out about a lot of people who were misusing the funds. People really saw the truth.”

Everette-Oates said she is advocating integrity in office.

“I’m going to make sure we do a serious audit so no money can be misused any more,” she said.

Perkins had pledged if she had won her third term to take care of unfinished business, boosting town finances by recruiting new businesses and slashing water bills.

“I hope that the town does not fall backward, that it still moves forward,” she said Tuesday night. “We’ve had a lot of progress.”

Tyrone D. Hopkins, who during his mayoral bid advocated better communication between elected officials and residents, garnered 45 votes.

Theresa Richardson, a long-time town resident who had run a campaign on recapturing town pride, garnered 40 votes.

Freddie Bell Sr. received two votes.

In a community forum in Tarboro last week, Bell generated chuckles from the audience when he put forth a platform that called for allowing the sale of marijuana in Princeville and giving $5,000 to each Princeville resident from the proceeds of selling the Tarboro-Princeville bridge.

Two challengers won seats to the Board of Commissioners.

Former Ward 3 Commissioner Isabelle Purvis-Andrews defeated incumbent Commissioner Ann Carney Adams by garnering 85 votes compared to 65 for Adams. Calvin Sherrod defeated incumbent Carolyn B. Sharpe for the Ward 4 seat. Sherrod had 130 votes compared to Sharpe’s 58 votes.