New Bern Board of Aldermen will consider 43 items on Sept. 9, 2025 meeting agenda at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Pollock St. in New Bern, NC.
The public will have an opportunity to share their thoughts at the beginning of the meeting during Requests and Petition of Citizens.
The Board of Aldermen will consider approving the consent agenda which includes closing the streets for parades and events, initiating the upset bid process for three properties and calling for a public hearing to annex property off Highway 70 East.
The regular agenda includes considering public hearings on changes to zoning designations for properties off Oaks Road, Old Airport Road, NC Highway 55 and Red Robin Lane and adopting resolutions; changes to the land use ordinance; changes to electric utility rate ordinance; a water and sewer agreement for 4301 Highway 70 E; lease agreement to use public property; a contract with NCDOT; sale of several properties; adopting resolutions for grant funding, a resolution adopt the city’s Investment Policy; accepting ownership and maintenance of streets; receiving a presentation on the annual police report and other items. The full agenda and meeting packet can be found here.
Other news
Who’s in charge: New Bern has a council-manager form of government, not a strong mayor form of government, according to the city’s charter. The Board of Aldermen is comprised of six aldermen; each are elected to represent one of New Bern’ s six wards and they have a duty to vote on all matters.
The mayor is the head of the city for ceremonial purposes and presides at aldermen meetings. He can also vote on matters if he wants.
Each year, the Board of Aldermen appoints a mayor pro tempore to perform the mayor’s duties during an absence or disability.
The Ward 6 citizens haven’t had an alderman since July 2024, when the last elected representative resigned. Three aldermen of the five current aldermen, which is a majority number of the Board of Aldermen, have voted for two different candidates to fill the vacant seat. Two aldermen have voted with the mayor, which has repeatedly resulted in a tie vote. Prior to 2011, the mayor voted when the aldermen were deadlocked.
The board appoints a city manager as the administrative head of the city and serves at the pleasure of the Board of Aldermen as a whole.
New Bern’s Municipal Election is scheduled for October 7, 2025, from 6:30 a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. Find your election day polling place here.
Early voting will be held on September 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30; October 1, 2, 3 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and October 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stanley White Recreation Center located at 601 3rd Ave. in New Bern, NC.
The following candidates have filed:
New Bern Mayor
Scott Andrews
Gregory Ryan Fahy
Jeffrey Odham
Holly Raby
Ward 1
James “Trey” Ferguson
Alana Huber
Bernard W. White
Ward 2
Sharon C. Bryant
Debby Seymore
Ward 3
Bobby Aster
Ward 4
Nadine Buchanan
Johnnie Ray Kinsey
Lainy White
Ward 5
Barbara J. Best
Manny Ruiz
Ward 6
Nat McKeller Cosby
Dana Edwards Outlaw
Meeting minutes and agendas can be found here. Meeting videos can be found on the city’s Facebook page, City 3 TV and YouTube channel.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.