Name: Zebulon assistant town manager resigns days after town manager
Uploaded: 2025-04-22T21:03:37+00:00
Duration: 2 min 27 s
Description: Both the town manager and assistant town manager of Zebulon have resigned within days of each other, stirring controversy and leaving residents with many unanswered questions. While commissioners deny any misconduct, the resignations have sparked concern about the town's stability and leadership.

Both the town manager and assistant town manager of Zebulon have resigned within days of each other, stirring controversy and leaving residents with many unanswered questions. While commissioners deny any misconduct, the resignations have sparked concern about the town's stability and leadership.

Within four days of each other, both the town manager and the assistant town manager in Zebulon have resigned.

WRAL News confirmed Kellianne Williams left her position Monday.

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Williams' resignation letter reads:

“I hereby resign from the position of Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Zebulon effective April 21, 2025. Zebulon is more than just where I worked. It’s where my husband and I literally began our life together: our first date, wedding, and our first home purchase were all here, long before I became Assistant Town Manager. Zebulon is somewhere I was excited to combine my love for public service with my love of place. My getting a chance to serve the citizens of Zebulon has been a meaningful way to give back to the community my family holds dear and is an opportunity I will always value.”

Williams was the first to take on the role permanently in December.

Williams supported the town manager in short and long-term strategic planning and visioning, helped manage critical infrastructure projects and evaluated organizational needs, according to the town.

Her job was at the center of a personnel matter the town manager Gilbert Todd Jr. said was handled "unethically" and "inappropriately" in his resignation speech. He gave WRAL News more details in a statement Friday.

“On Tuesday, April 15th, I was given a directive by the Board of Commissioners to place the Assistant Town Manager on Administrative Leave with no grounds to do so. The Assistant Town Manager is an exemplary employee with no performance issues,” Todd wrote in an email to WRAL Friday. “According to NC General Statutes; the Town Manager is responsible for managing staff and administering all personnel actions. This directive by the Board was inappropriate and unethical.”

Williams’ resignation comes just four days later. She did not respond to WRAL News’ requests for an interview.

The town commissioners denied any wrongdoing, but confirm that Williams was suspended prior to her resignation.

Commissioner Shannon Baxter insisted that she can’t get into personnel matters but told WRAL News the town never received a budget from Todd.

“Former manager Todd made some comments that were just not true. The board never asked him to operate outside of his contract. Zebulon is currently headed in a fantastic direction. We're proud of the project that we currently have in development. The town's functioning, as always, is the commissioners' top priority,” Baxter said in a statement.

Baxter declined to comment on camera.

A “concerned citizens” sign was erected in the town.

“It sounds like there's some drama behind the scene,” resident Ro Adoki said.

Many residents still have questions about what’s going on inside town hall.

“I'm trying to figure out what's going on around here,” resident Davanta Deans said. “Let's get Zebulon back to the top.”

They told WRAL News they just want what’s best for the small town around it.