The Salisbury City Council underwent a significant leadership reshuffle on Monday night, resulting in the election of April Jackson as the new president and Sharon Dashiell as vice president. This unexpected reorganization came two months after the controversial appointment of Melissa Holland to the council and has shifted the balance of power within the local government.
The meeting unfolded dramatically as Holland proposed the reorganization, stating, “I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal,” without offering further explanation. The move temporarily created confusion among council members, who relied on the city clerk and city attorney to clarify the next steps.
Holland’s proposal follows criticism directed at council members Angela Blake and Michele Gregory, who faced backlash for their roles in the appointment process that led to the resignation of former president D’Shawn Doughty in November. After Doughty’s departure, Holland was named his successor in early December, with Blake subsequently elected president by a narrow 3-2 vote, while Jackson and Dashiell opposed her.
In a surprising turn, Holland exercised her vote as the deciding factor, ousting Blake after just two months in office. Jackson’s election as president and Dashiell’s as vice president was also decided by a 3-2 vote, with Holland once again casting the pivotal vote.
After the meeting, Jackson expressed her gratitude for the appointment, stating, “I appreciate the appointment, and I’m gonna be a great leader. I am a person who’s passionate about the citizens in the city of Salisbury. And I want to do my very best to serve the city and the citizens.”
Looking ahead, Jackson emphasized the need for reform in the council’s appointment process during the next work session. “That’s one of the main things that we need to be concentrating on right now,” she said. “We never know when somebody’s gonna get sick and never return, somebody moves and never returns. And it needs to be taken care of, because if we have somebody leave we’re going over the same process, and we’re going to hear the same thing from another district and the citizens. So, we need to take this very seriously — it needs to be done as soon as possible.”
This unexpected shift in leadership reflects ongoing dynamics within the Salisbury City Council and highlights the necessity for a more effective appointment process. As the council moves forward, the focus will likely remain on fostering collaboration to better serve the residents of Salisbury.
