Waynesboro City Council members will choose the mayor and vice mayor at an organizational meeting tonight.
In Waynesboro, the largely ceremonials roles are not elected by the public; instead, they are selected by fellow Council members.
Both positions will be for a two-year term.
The organizational meeting will take place at 7 p.m. before the regular meeting tonight in City Council Chambers in the Yancey Municipal Building at 503 W. Main St.
The current Council makeup after November’s election includes:
- Lorie Jean Akanbi, Ward A
- Terry Short Jr., Ward B
- Kenneth Lee, Ward C
- Jim Wood, Ward D
- Jeremy Sloat, At Large
Former Mayor Lana Williams and Ward B Councilor Bruce Allen did not seek re-election to Waynesboro City Council.
Short was first elected to Council in 2016 and previously served as both mayor and vice mayor. Short has indicated this will be his last four-year term on Council.
Wood and Lee were both elected in 2022 and began their terms in January 2023.
Wood, currently the city’s vice mayor, will likely not be selected as mayor due to a controversial podcast and homophobic comments that led to fellow Councilors demanding he step down as Vice Mayor or resign from Council in 2023. Lee and Short were among those who publicly denounced Wood’s actions, and both would be unlikely to support Wood for the mayor role.
Lee told AFP in November that he is open to serving in the role of mayor.
“I would be honored if that’s what my colleagues would want me to do,” Lee told AFP. “I will be honored. It’s an honor to serve, and that would be just another honor on top of that.”
Akanbi, elected under the last name Strother but recently married, and Sloat are freshman Councilors.
Waynesboro City Council members receive a small salary for their role. The mayor receives $10,120 annually; all other Councilors receive $9,100. Council members are not eligible for group health benefits.
City Council members will also appoint charter members:
- City manager (two-year term ending Dec. 31, 2026)
- City assessor (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2025)
- Clerk of the Council (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2025)
- City attorney (one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2025)
The governing body will also consider appointing an acting Clerk of Council to serve in the absence of the Clerk of Council for a one-year term.
The Council will also select a representative to serve on the following boards and commissions:
- CAPSAW (Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro) board
- Planning commission
- Parks and recreation commission
The regular meeting will follow the organizational meeting.
The agenda includes the second consideration and/or adoption of an ordinance amending the zoning ordinance to allow for cottage court housing.
A public hearing will also be held to allow for real estate tax exemptions for seniors and handicapped residents who meet certain income requirements.
The meeting is streamed on the city’s YouTube channel.
Related stories
For additional coverage, search “Waynesboro City Council” on Augusta Free Press.
- The gavel is up for grabs: Who will be the new mayor in Staunton and Waynesboro?
- Next in line? Kenny Lee open to the idea of serving as mayor in Waynesboro
- Waynesboro: Lorie Strother to be a voice for the East side in new role as Council member
- Terry Short wants to move ‘big rocks’ in final term on Waynesboro City Council
- Waynesboro: City Council to decide fate of cottage court housing solution
- Waynesboro: Cottage court housing must address the affordability crisis, period
- Waynesboro: Independents win two of three contested seats on City Council
- Waynesboro City Council member asks Jim Wood to resign over Pete Buttigieg slur
- City Council members, city residents, urge Waynesboro Vice Mayor Jim Wood to resign
- Waynesboro vice mayor hits Buttigieg with gay slur after asking for federal money
- Embattled Waynesboro Vice Mayor Jim Wood has his supporters: Who are they?
- ‘I’m number one’: The sign guy who defended Waynesboro Vice Mayor Jim Wood
- Waynesboro elects Facebook talk show conspiracy theorist Jim Wood vice mayor
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Crystal Graham
