Charlotte City Council absences double in a decade, raising accountability concerns

CHARLOTTE — Absences among Charlotte City Council members have more than doubled over the past decade, with only three meetings this term having full attendance of all council members and the mayor.

The Charlotte Observer analyzed meeting minutes and video recordings for 79 business, zoning, special, strategy, and budget meetings since the current term began in December 2023. The analysis revealed significant absenteeism among city leaders, highlighting a trend of increasing absences over the years.

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District 7 Councilman Ed Driggs, who has one of the strongest attendance records, emphasized the importance of council members taking their commitment seriously by showing up.

“My bottom line is, if you’re not at the meeting, it better be for a good reason,” Driggs said.

James “Smuggie” Mitchell has maintained the worst attendance record, missing about one-third of the meetings this term. He attributed his absences to medical reasons, stating that procedures in March and April kept him away for an extended period.

Mayor Vi Lyles has attended less than half of the zoning meetings, delegating zoning responsibilities to Mayor Pro Tem Dante Anderson. Lyles stated that her absences are strategic, allowing Anderson to gain experience facilitating meetings.

Namrata Yadav, an at-large candidate, has proposed creating an online accountability dashboard to display member attendance to the public, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in council operations.

Tariq Bokhari, who had a strong attendance record, stepped down in April to accept a position in the Trump administration. Edwin Peacock was appointed to finish Bokhari’s term.

As Charlotte City Council members face reelection, attendance records have become a focal point of discussion, with candidates like Namrata Yadav advocating for greater transparency. The trend of increasing absences raises questions about the effectiveness and accountability of city leaders.

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