The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board tonight appointed Kimberly Mitchell-Walker to fill the District 2 seat left vacant by longtime board member Vilma Leake.
The appointment was effective immediately.
With Mitchell-Walker’s appointment, the board again has two African Americans. The other is James Ross, a Republican appointed to the District 3 seat last month to replace George Dunlap.
The board now has four Democrats, four Republicans and one independent, the first time in years that Democrats have not held a majority.
Mitchell-Walker, a Democrat, is the sister of Charlotte City Councilman James Mitchell. She was one of 17 people who formally sought the appointment. In a 5-3 vote, she beat out Republican Deborah Ware.
Ross, whose vote could emerge as decisive on the fractious board, joined three Democrats in voting to appoint Mitchell-Walker.
Moments after her appointment, Mitchell-Walker then helped elect longtime board member Molly Griffin as board chair. In a 6-3 vote, Griffin defeated Republican Kaye McGarry, who will serve as vice chair.
Mitchell-Walker, 40, was senior administrative secretary at Plaza Road Pre-K. She resigned her position during the Board meeting.
She graduated from
Leake served 11 years on the school board before being elected in November to the Mecklenburg County commission.
Mitchell-Walker will serve the balance of Leake’s term, which ends in December.
Read more on Mitchell-Walker at charlotteobserver.com.
