At a meeting on Wednesday, the remaining Downtown Kinston Revitalization board members met for a special meeting in response to the abrupt resignation of six board members. Per DKR’s bylaws, the board chair, Mike Chastain, has the ability to nominate replacements in order for the board to reach the minimum requirement of 11.

Kinston City Manager Rhonda Barwick read the list of nominations which included former city council member Kristal Suggs, former city council member Sammy Aiken, Kinston Administrative Manager Althea Simmons, Former Kinston Recreation Director Bill Ellis, Kinston Public Services Director Steve Miller, owner of multiple downtown businesses Stephen Hill, Wood Ducks General Manager Jon Clemmons, and Vice President for NC Global TransPark Economic Development Region Trey Cash. The nominations were approved unanimously by remaining board members Mike Chastain, Cathy Reese, and Jeremy Whitfield.

The next Downtown Kinston Revitalization meeting is on Thursday, January 25, 2023. Board meetings are typically held the last Thursday of the month at 5:30PM, at the library.