The Ward 1 alderman resigned his seat.
Aldermen Rick Prill of Ward 1 notified the Board of Aldermen during a meeting on Oct. 28 that he was resigning from the board effective Nov. 1, 2025. He said some time ago, he and his wife decided that they would move when his term was over. He said an opportunity came along 1 he will no longer be a resident of the ward.
“As the city attorney has advised us on a few occasions, if an individual no longer legally resides in the ward they represent, then they cannot continue representing the ward. So, in that case I will not be a legal resident of Ward 1 as of November 1. So, I need to step aside and let the board decide who they would like to fill the vacancy until the December meeting where the official elected candidate will take office,” he said.
Rick Prill said it has been his pleasure and honor to represent the ward and the city as a whole and wishes the new board the best.
Mayor Jeffrey Odham wished him the best and called out to Alderman Elect Trey Ferguson who was in the audience and asked if he was interested in filling the seat early.
Trey Ferguson said he would be happy to fill the seat early if that’s what the board wanted.
The mayor then asked if anyone had any comments.
Alderman Johnnie Ray Kinsey said he wanted to make a motion.
Assistant City Attorney Jaimee Bulluck said there wasn’t a vacancy yet.
Mayor Odham asked the attorney if it would be appropriate to put an item on their next meeting agenda (Wednesday, Nov. 12) to make the appointment to fill the vacancy.
The assistant city attorney said they could if that’s what the Board of Aldermen wanted.
He asked if someone wanted to make a motion.
Alderman Kinsey said, “So moved” and Alderman Bobby Aster said, “Second.”
A voice vote carried 5-0.
Alderman Hazel Royal said it was a pleasure serving with Rick Prill and she was able to glean from his expertise and background in city government. She said he did an excellent job and believed that he served Ward 1 well.
Alderman Dana Outlaw congratulated Alderman Prill and said he did a good job and wished him well in his future endeavors.
On Oct. 30, Prill sent a letter to the Board of Aldermen and mayor asking them to accept his resignation to be effective Nov. 1. He said he relocated to another community and as a result he no longer resides in Ward 1 and can no longer serve in the capacity as the alderman. He said it was his pleasure and honor to have served the residents of the First Ward as well as the city as a whole over the past three plus years as alderman.
This is the second time in the last year and a half that an alderman resigned from the 2022-2025 Board of Aldermen.
The first time was when Robert “Bob” Brinson resigned from his Ward 6 alderman seat in a letter to the city on July 29, 2024 with his resignation being effective July 30, as reported here.
On Aug. 2, 2024, the Board of Aldermen held a special meeting to discuss the Ward 6 vacancy, as reported here. Over the next 454 days the board attempted to appoint a candidate to the vacancy but tied between aldermen Rick Prill, Hazel Royal and Barbara Best voting for one candidate and aldermen Bobby Aster and Johnnie Ray Kinsey. Mayor Odham voted with aldermen Aster and Kinsey each time.
It’s noteworthy to mention the difference between the aldermen and mayor votes — the aldermen have a duty to vote on all matters unless they are recused by the board and the mayor can choose to vote on all matters, as reported here.
In New Bern’s October 2025 Municipal Election, former Mayor/Alderman Dana Outlaw and Nat McKeller Crosby ran for the Ward 6 Alderman seat and Outlaw received the most votes. On Oct. 14, the night the election results were certified, Alderman Hazel Royal asked that the board consider moving an agenda item (Appointments) to the beginning of the agenda. She said there were a lot of Ward 6 residents in the audience and they had a right to be represented, and they deserved representation. She said they voiced that by electing Dana Outlaw and she hoped the board would unanimously agree. She made a motion to appoint him to the Ward 6 seat and Bobby Aster seconded it. The board unanimously approved the motion, as reported here.
City Attorney Scott Davis said, “Would the thought be to swear him in later in the meeting so he would participate in the next meeting? Otherwise, I think we’re going to create some confusion for the clerk as to who was here to form the quorum and who’s entitled to vote on subsequent issues. It might just be cleaner unless you need that input tonight on some particular issue. Just something to reflect on when the moment comes.”
“I don’t know if we have any matters that are going to create any voting questions thereafter, but I just don’t want our record to be confusing if we have a closed vote and that peculiar procedure creates a question later,” Attorney Davis said.
Odham said, “I say swear in when he gets here. No different than if somebody came in late.”
Hazel Royal asked Scott Davis what his recommendation was.
Attorney Davis said either way was fine, but he wanted to raise the issue. He said he was asking what the board’s recommendation was. If he’s on his way, he could be sworn in.
Jeffrey Odham said, “I assume since we moved the item up that that was the desire to do it whenever he arrives, but.”
Hazel Royal said she thought he would be there at the beginning of the meeting.
Bobby Aster said, “I think he was assuming that it was going to take place under appointments, which is at the bottom of the agenda.”
“If he shows it was everyone’s expectation that he would be seated. So, we’re on the same page,” Davis said.
Some residents spoke in favor of the seat being filled and some voiced concern about the process during Petition of Citizens.
Alderman Barbara Best said she thought the Board of Aldermen could have filled the Ward 6 seat two months after Alderman Brinson left when Alderman Prill asked that a flyer be sent out to all residents of Ward 6. Three of them voted yes and three voted not to notify residents by mail. She said it would have cost $900 to get the information out to Ward 6 residents and the problem could have been resolved then.
Halfway through the meeting the mayor asked for a motion to swear in Dana Outlaw. Aster made the motion, and the Ward 6 alderman was sworn in to fill the unexpired term until the Dec. 9 meeting when the new aldermen and mayor will be seated.
Related news:
New Bern citizens living in the city will be asked to pick the mayor in the runoff between incumbent Jeffrey Odham and Holly Raby. Ward 4 voters will also choose the alderman in the runoff between incumbent Johnnie Ray Kinsey and Lainy White.
The Runoff Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in New Bern, NC. Polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. at various polling places in New Bern. Find your election day polling place here. “You must vote at your assigned precinct, based on your residential address, to receive your correct ballot,” according to the Craven County Board of Elections website.
“A valid photo identification is required when voting in person,” per the CC BOE.
More details can be found at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.