In addition to installing two newly-elected members Monday night, the Belhaven Board of Aldermen will also select a new member to fill out the unexpired term of Alderman Jay Wilkins, who tendered his resignation from the board in November.

The Board of Aldermen accepted a letter of resignation from Wilkins during its Nov. 18 meeting. Wilkins’ letter cited a need to take care of ailing family members and a disconnect from the current board’s trajectory as his reasons for stepping down.

Wilkins was elected to a four-year term on the board in 2017 after running unopposed for the only open West End seat that year, and has two years remaining in his term. During this year’s municipal election, two West End candidates, Brenda Cherry and Bradford Linton, competed for the other seat representing the town’s West End. Cherry won that contest by exactly 100 votes.

Belhaven Town Manager Lynn Davis says she anticipates an appointment to fill the remainder of Wilkins’ term Monday night. Davis says after discussions with Belhaven Town Attorney Chad Stoop, the plan is for the sitting Board of Aldermen to make that appointment prior to the swearing in of the new members.

“(Stoop) has seen the agenda and the timing, and we’ve talked about what the process is and how a nomination can be made,” Davis said. “A nomination could have even been made the night they accepted his resignation. It could have been done that quickly, but I think it’s wise and shows they’ve given it some consideration by allowing time to go by and weigh some options.”

With the installation of two new board members representing Belhaven’s East End, Nathan Van Nortwick and Veronica Ward, and the appointment of the second West End board member, there will be three elected officials returning to serve — Cherry on the West End, Ricky Radcliffe on the East End and Belhaven Mayor Ricky Credle.

East End Aldermen Mary F. Cox and Amos Wilson did not seek reelection in 2019.

The Belhaven Board of Aldermen will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the Belhaven Civic Center. Attempts to reach Wilkins by phone Thursday were unsuccessful.