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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Councilman Saffo Tapped for Mayor

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – City Council member Bill Saffo is the new mayor of Wilmington. Without the presence of council member Laura Padgett, the city council tapped Saffo. It was a special meeting in council chambers that literally took minutes.

Less than ten minutes after calling the special meeting to order the City Council selected Bill Saffo to serve as the next mayor.

Saffo says fellow city council members started talking with him about the job shortly after Wilmington Mayor Spence Broadhurst announced he was stepping down to take a job in Greensboro.

Saffo says during his time as mayor he wants to roll out projects outlined in the parks and transportation bonds, fix the city's sewer system and move on the proposed convention center.

I think it's an important economic development tool for our community, tourism is an economic engine for our region, there's a lot of people who want to come here, and see our beautiful city, visit our beautiful city, we really don't have any place to put them and we need to do that.

Saffo says he will carry on Broadhurst's tradition of keeping council meetings relatively short.

He will take over as mayor July 11th for a term that will run until December of next year.

Saffo is the owner of Hanover Realty, a Wilmington native and council member since 2003.