By Liz Moomey
liz.moomey@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A change in the city’s mayor and the seats in which Salisbury City Council members sit is expected during Tuesday’s 6 p.m. meeting.

The council, all of whom were re-elected to another term, will take an oath of office. Nominations will then be accepted for a mayor and mayor pro tem.

If the council stands by its tradition and picks the highest vote-getter in this year’s election as mayor, Karen Alexander, a former mayor and current councilwoman, will sit in the middle chair. And current Mayor Al Heggins will become mayor pro tem.

Current council members David Post, who is currently mayor pro tem, Brian Miller and Tamara Sheffield will remain on the council.

Council members will be given the opportunity to make remarks during the meeting.

A resolution to support a K-8 school to combine Overton Elementary and Knox Elementary schools will return to the council for consideration. Before the last City Council meeting, parent Corey Hill emailed a resolution to council members that asks them to show their support for Knox-Overton community and urge the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Board of Education and County Commission to move forward with construction of a K-8 school between Overton and Knox.

The resolution states that the City Council has demonstrated strong support for Rowan-Salisbury Schools by investing financially in the salaries of co-principals for Knox Middle School and STEM training for teachers. It continues, “This investment of money and time demonstrates the Salisbury City Council considers public education to be of the utmost importance to the city’s children, their families and the community.”

At the Nov. 18 school board meeting, Heggins spoke in support of a K-8 school.

The next day at a City Council meeting, the members present said they are “fully behind” the Overton-Knox community. Because the resolution Hill sent by email came just a couple of hours before the meeting, several council members said they did not have time to add it to the agenda.

Councilman Brian Miller was absent from that meeting, and fellow council members wanted him to be included in the discussion.

Other agenda items for Tuesday’s meeting include:

• The council will hold a public hearing and consider adopting an ordinance annexing Gables at Kepley Farms Phase 5.

• Council members will consider closing the 200 block of West Cemetery Street.

• The council will consider appointments to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. It will also consider making council liaison appointments to numerous boards and committees.