Rob Harrington sworn in as Charlotte’s 60th mayor

CHARLOTTE — Rob Harrington, who was sworn in as Charlotte’s new Democratic mayor on Wednesday morning, is getting to work.

He’ll lead the 14^th-largest city in the country, which is one of the fastest-growing, too.

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Harrington’s duties include setting city council agendas, facilitating meetings, and representing the city publicly while the city manager handles the day-to-day operations.

Harrington had never run for public office before last week.

Harrington was the president of the North Carolina Bar Association.

He is also the former chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees.

Born in Florence, South Carolina, and one of five kids, Harrington says he wasn’t raised with a lot of money, but his parents taught him the value of service. He’s promising to be a mayor for all.

He’s vowing to lead Charlotte through the lenses of trust, order, efficiency, and respect

“We bring a host of different ideas, interests, priorities, and passions to the public’s work,” Harrington said. “As we do this, we must continue to show respect and a little grace.

The mayor will have a lot on his plate.

He’s taking charge at a time the state has its eyes on Charlotte. From water transfers to repaying the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the failed Interstate 77 toll lane project, the state’s budget impacts the Queen City in multiple ways. Channel 9 government reporter Joe Bruno asked Harrington about this. He says he’s aware of the provisions and is learning more about them.

“We look forward to diving into the details, finding out what actually ended up in there, and then responding,” Harrington said.

From I-77 to the American Airlines lease, the mayor will have plenty of issues to tackle over his 18-month tenure.

His new colleagues look forward to having him at the top of the dais, presiding over meetings and serving as a spokesman for the city.

“Very organized,” said Councilmember Kimberly Owens, D-District 6. “He’s very thoughtful and organized. He’s going to keep us on time and on task and really be able to move us forward.”

“Thrilled about this appointment,” said Councilmember Ed Driggs, R-District 7. “I think Rob is a statesman. I think he will bring stability and a certain solemnity to our leadership that we really need, right now.”

Harrington says one of his top priorities is public safety. He praised Charlotte City Council for passing raises for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers and says he will work to make sure people feel safe in the city.

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