By Marina Giovannelli
Wilmington, NC –
The Wilmington City Council has tapped Margaret Haynes to fill a vacant seat on council. Haynes brings to the table a career in the private and public sector.
Haynes currently chairs the New Hanover County Board of Elections and works as a real estate broker. She founded a bank and continues to serve on its board. Haynes says her financial background will help her deal with the city's strained budget.
"Certainly the financial challenges that every community is facing because of the economy, generating revenues and reaching that fine balance between revenues and expenditures," says Haynes.
Haynes says she will couple her knowledge of government and finances with a whole lot of common sense.
"I certainly bring a strong work ethic, and I also bring the education, sort of the book sense and the education in that I have a masters in public administration. And I worked in government and constituent services," says Haynes.
Haynes says she is 90% sure she'll make a bid to remain on council for at least another term. She'll be sworn in at a meeting tentatively scheduled for Jan. 6.
The Wilmington City Council also agreed to spend roughly $200,000 dollars for designs and preliminary construction to expand the convention center currently under construction in downtown Wilmington.
View Margaret Haynes' application to serve on city council.