ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – After a brief closed discussion, Roanoke City Council voted in a 4-2 decision to select former City Treasurer Evelyn Powers to fill the vacant seat on the council. Today was the final day to make a decision, before a court-appointed decision.
Council members are relieved it’s finally over.
“Our most important function as a city council is to govern,” Roanoke Mayor Joe Cobb said. “That’s what you people elect us to do, and this was our decision to make, and so that’s why I called the special meeting today; for us to make a decision.”
Powers spent two decades serving the star city as Treasurer. Before that, she spent 23 years working as an internal auditor.
She said she’s honored to serve as a council member now.
“It’s a position I don’t take lightly, and I know that it was a tough decision for them,” Powers said. “They had two other great candidates that they could choose from, and I’m just honored to fill this position with the city.”
Cobb said she brings a lot of helpful and important aspects to the council, and with the city’s budget process being the top priority, her extensive financial background was very compelling.
“I’ve worked on the city budgets for 40 years,” Powers said. “I can help deliver how we did some things years ago that really helped us.”
Powers is now the fourth council member with no prior council experience.
That was why some of the current members were hesitant to pick her. Council member Peter Volosin was one of the members who voted against the decision.
“We have somebody in Trish White-Boyd who has been on the council, understands what’s going on, and could go right into making decisions and helping our government move forward,” he said. “Especially with our new city manager.”
Powers will take the oath during the city council’s next meeting on Tuesday, February 18.